Egypt's Health Ministry receives 4,424,400 Covid-19 vaccines

CAIRO - 29 Septemebr 2021: Minister of Health and Population Dr Hala Zayed Wednesday announced receiving 4,424,400 Covid-19 vaccines from China's Sinopharm Group as part of the state's efforts to provide jabs against the pandemic.

One million doses of the vaccine were received at Cairo International Airport Tuesday evening from the Chinese company along with 3,000 liters of raw ingredients enough to manufacture 4.6 million doses, according to Assistant Health Minister and Health Ministry Spokesman Dr Khaled Megahed.

All vaccines that reach Egypt are approved by the World Health Organization and the Egyptian Drug Authority for emergency use, he said, stressing that all shipments are tested at the authority labs before distribution among the 1,100 vaccination centers across the country.

Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that 718 new coronavirus cases were registered, raising the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 303,045.

In a statement, Megahed said 39 coronavirus-linked deaths were recorded over the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide death toll to 17,263 since the outset of the pandemic.

As many as 599 cases were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving the necessary medical care, pushing the total number of recovered cases in the country to 255,658, the spokesman added. 

Egypt started receiving students of university and high institutes to be vaccinated against coronavirus ahead of the new academic year scheduled to begin on 9 October.

This includes public, private, non-profit and Al-Azhar universities.

Zayed said students will be received in 1,100 centers allocated for vaccination nationwide, a ministry statement read, explaining that they include 270 youth centers allocated for vaccination purpose.

The minister instructed that a message indicating the nearest vaccination sites be sent to the students who registered their data on the ministry's website as higher education students, within 24 hours of their registration date, Assistant Health Minister for Information and Community Outreach, and official spokesperson for the ministry Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Megahed noted that 270 youth centers are currently being used as vaccination venues, in cooperation with provincial governors and the youth and sports ministry