Egyptian Cabinet denies providing any coronavirus drugs

CAIRO – 10 April 2020: The Egyptian Cabinet’s media center on Thursday denied reports that the government has provided pharmacies with therapies or vaccines for coronavirus (COVID-19) and asked people to take quarantine information from the official sources.

The center urged to call the police to report any pharmacy that claims it has a coronavirus treatment.

Those who intentionally spread rumors about coronavirus can face a five-year imprisonment sentence, the public prosecution said late in March.

The Cabinet also denied any statistics on social media about coronavirus patients in the northeastern African country, and warned about any documents that are falsely attributed to the Health Ministry.

The Health Ministry on Wednesday denied the news that a pharmaceutical company based in the Egyptian capital Cairo started producing chloroquine phosphate medication primarily used to treat malaria patients, describing the company’s alleged statement as “void of truth.”

Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said the World Health Organization has not yet adopted any effective treatment for the novel coronavirus.

Despite being seen as a good treatment for coronavirus by many people around the world, including US President Donald Trump, many experts worldwide asserted that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) sulfate, a derivative of chloroquine (CQ), has not yet proven to be effective concerning treating COVID-19 patients.

According to the alleged statement, by a company belonging to the government-owned Arab Company for Drug Industry and Medical Appliances (ACDIMA), the company aims to produce around 200,000 doses of chloroquine by May.

Daily report
The Health Ministry on Thursday reported new 139 cases of coronavirus and 15 deaths, bringing the total number to 1,699 and 118 respectively.

The number of coronavirus cases whose tests turned from positive to negative increased to 468, including 348 people who recovered from the virus, the ministry added.

Health Ministry Spokesman Khaled Megahed said all the 139 new cases are Egyptians. All positive cases were quarantined at hospitals, the spokesman said.