File Photo: A health worker wearing protective gear prepares to take swab sample from a man in his car to test for the coronavirus at a drive-through COVID-19 screening center at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, taken on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. AP
The country also reported an average of six deaths per day over the past week, down from seven in the previous week, according to the Ministry of Health’s weekly update on the pandemic on Saturday.
The number of people fully vaccinated against coronavirus hit more than 33.5 million, according to the ministry, with over 44.5 million people having received their first vaccine shot. Also, booster shots have been administered to more than 2.3 million people.
Furthermore, the total number of recoveries since the outbreak began in February 2020 increased this week to 444,002 after a daily average of 260 people were discharged from hospitals nationwide over the past seven days, the ministry added.
The ministry continued to urge residents to register on its website to receive the vaccine. The ministry also continues to receive inquiries regarding the coronavirus via the 105 and 15335 hotlines as well as WhatsApp on +201553105105.
Those who think they may have contracted the disease can also download the Android or iPhone versions of the Sehat Misr app for guidance regarding which hospitals to head to.
Egypt has successfully vaccinated over 53 percent of targeted groups, Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Tuesday, referring to those above the age of 12.
The ministry has previously said that for life in Egypt to return to the way it was pre-pandemic, 70 percent of this group must be vaccinated — a goal that the country seeks to achieve by mid-2022.
Egypt has continued to record a drop in coronavirus infections, deaths, and COVID-induced hospitalisations over the past weeks amid a global decline in coronavirus cases.
The decline has led the country to reduce the number of isolation hospitals nationwide, said Acting Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar earlier in April.
The ministry has announced that only four hospitals are now designated for full isolation — El-Agouza Hospital in Giza, Qaha Hospital in Qalioubiya, El-Odaisat Hospital in Luxor, and El-Nagila Hospital in Matrouh.
The ministry also announced reducing the number of partial isolation hospitals to 16 facilities nationwide.
Egypt has also eased many of the coronavirus restrictions during the holy month of Ramadan, which started earlier April. This includes lifting a two-year suspension on the traditional Ramadan charity banquets and allowing mosques to conduct afternoon prayer sermons (El-Asr) and mass Ramadan night prayers (Taraweeh) during the holy month.
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