Egypt uses ID Now COVID-19 tests for all arrivals coming from countries where double-mutant covid variant found

CAIRO – 8 May 2021: Egypt decided to conduct ID Now COVID-19 Rapid Nucleic Acid Amplification Test for all arrivals [Egyptians and foreigners] from countries where the coronavirus has mutated.

 

The ID NOW COVID-19 tests will be carried out at all country’s maritime, ground and air outlets and inlets, in light of additional precautionary measures against the pandemic, announced Egyptian Ministry of Health Hala Zayed in a video conference on Friday.

 

The Rapid Nucleic Acid Amplification Test is one of the modern accurate and speed technologies in detecting the coronavirus infections in less than 15 minutes, the Minister said.

 

Zayed also affirmed that the country is still applying the cabinet decision of banning entry to the country on the arrivals [Egyptians and foreigners] who have no negative PCR test certificates for COVID-19.

 

Since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, Egypt has checked more than 4.4 million passengers coming from abroad at all the country’s quarantines.

 

The World Health Organization announced on April 27 that the Double mutant' Covid variant (aka B1617), which was detected first in India, has been found in 17 countries including the United Kingdom, the US, and Singapore.

 

“This virus variant is a variant of interest, the B1617 lineage. This was first detected and reported by India, it has two mutations: the E484Q and the L452R. These are specific mutations within the genome. It was first seen in two states at the end of 2020 and there is an increasing proportion of cases of this B1617 that have increased since the end of last year,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization's technical lead for coronavirus response, on April 16.