Egypt reports 138 new coronavirus cases, 10 fatalities, 68 recoveries

CAIRO - 18 October 2020: Egypt's Ministry of Health reported on Saturday that138 new coronavirus cases were detected, upping the total number of confirmed cases to 105,297.

According to a statment issued by Spokesman for the Health Ministry Khaled Megahed, he said 10 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 6,109.

As many as 68 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 98,157 so far, the spokesman said. 

Egypt’s Minister of Health Hala Zayed on 29 September participated in the clinical trial of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine candidate, which Egypt is carrying out, along with many countries including the United Arab Emirates.

Zayed visited the Egyptian Holding Company for Biopharmaceuticals and Vaccines (Vacsera) to participate in the trials and was received by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company Heba Wali.

Egypt has carried out the third phase of its first clinical trial of two Chinese coronavirus vaccines. The Ministry of Health announced “promising results” and that the vaccine is set to be available for the public after its effectiveness is fully confirmed.

Noha Assem, adviser to the Minister of Health for research affairs, said in TV statements that the ultimate goal behind the volunteer participation in these clinical trials is “science and humanity.”

She added that the study responds to a specific research question, in addition to measuring the degree of vaccine safety.

She further mentioned some conditions for volunteering to undergo the clinical trials, which include that citizens should be under the age of 18, and did not contract diseases that are difficult to cure.

The ministry is carrying out medical analysis to volunteers to make sure it is safe for them to be vaccinated.

President’s advisor for health affairs expects Egypt to record no coronavirus related deaths soon, in light of the stable and relatively low daily number of cases in the country.

In press remarks, Advisor Mohamed Awad said the Egyptian state has professionally dealt with the coronavirus crisis, in a better way that many nations.

He added the country currently does not need field hospitals but it would prepare to deal with any coronavirus-related emergency situation.

Awad expected that coronavirus vaccines will be produced through October or November. He affirmed that clinical trials are the most critical stage of vaccine manufacture so extra caution should be taken.