Egypt recorded average of 177 daily COVID infections; no monkeypox cases detected: Min.

CAIRO – 28 July 2022: Egypt reported an average of 177 daily coronavirus infections over the past week 19-25 July, Acting Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said in a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Also, 12 people have died of the virus over the past week, the minister noted.

More than 38.3 people in Egypt have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus, representing 76.7 percent of the targeted segment nationwide, Abdel Ghaffar said.

Also, over 6.8 million citizens have received booster shots and 49.3 million citizens received their first shots, Abdel Ghaffar added.

The minister noted that 97 percent of beds in hospitals specialized in treating coronavirus patients were vacant over the past week. Also, 86 percent of these hospitals’ ICU beds were vacant and 94 percent of the ventilators are unoccupied, he added.

Monkeypox cases

During the meeting, Abdel Ghaffar said no monkeypox cases have been detected in Egypt until 26 July.

However, the ministry has taken measures within the framework of preparedness to respond to any probable monkeypox outbreak, he said.

Abdel Ghaffar noted that so far, 19,188 monkeypox cases has been detected in 76 countries worldwide, including 25 cases in the Middle East.

The ministry issued an integrated guide for the monkeypox disease in May, updated it according to the developments of the global and regional epidemiological situation on 25 July, and distributed it to all governorates, Abdel Ghaffar said.

The ministry also activated the rapid response team at the central level, as well as the disease monitoring services at all Egyptian ports of entry to take necessary measures of isolation for any suspected monkeypox cases, Abdel Ghaffar added.

The ministry will refer any suspected cases to near fever hospital and provide the necessary detection kits to examine cases in the central laboratories of the ministry.