Egypt's health ministry detected 643 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total infection toll nationwide to 196,061 since the emergence of the pandemic in early 2020.

In its daily statement, the ministry also reported 39 deaths, raising the death toll to 11,637.

As many as 490 patients have been discharged from hospitals nationwide over the past 24 hours to mark total recoveries at 150,424, the statement added.

Egypt has passed the peak of the second wave of coronavirus that started in December per Egyptian officials. However, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said the country is on the threshold of a third wave.

President El-Sisi urged citizens to stick to the preventive measures, especially during the month of Ramadan, which is known for religious and social gatherings. The month is set to start in Egypt in mid-April.

The country, which has obtained 650.000 doses of the coronavirus vaccines, is seeking to expand its vaccination rollout to include workers in the tourism and banking sector to guarantee stability in the economic sector, Minister of Health Hala Zayed said at a press conference earlier today.

The health ministry has recently launched a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 after allowing online registration in February for medical staffers and elders with priority given to patients with chronic diseases.

The expansion of the vaccination campaign came after the ministry concluded the vaccination of medical workers at isolation hospitals.
Egypt is excepting additional deliveries of coronavirus vaccines in the coming days.

The Egyptian government is also in talks with the Chinese government to start manufacturing the Chinese coronavirus vaccine “Sinovac ” inside Egypt, Minister Zayed added during the conference, which was attended by the Chinese ambassador to Cairo, Liao Liqiang.