Treatment protocols for suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) cases starts as soon as blood and chest scans are conducted, without waiting for PCR test results, said Ministry of Health spokesperson Khaled Mogahed.
In televised statements for MBC Masr on Tuesday evening, Mogahed added that PCR analysis is no longer a condition for starting the treatment protocol. The move is to ensure the health and safety of citizens whilst also not delaying their treatment.
He noted that the cases publicly announced daily are based on PCR tests which confirm the diagnosis.
Mogahed noted that some cases should immediately head to hospital for treatment rather than isolate themselves at home. These include the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic diseases, as they require isolation under medical supervision in hospital.
Egypt does not face a shortage of hospital beds for coronavirus patients, Mogahed stressed.
He added, “We have 340 hospitals providing treatment and places for isolation, and the Ministry [of Health] has increased the number of hospitals designated for isolation.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Manar Enaba denied reports that have recently circulated suggesting that quarantine procedures have been cancelled in favour of home isolation for repatriated Egyptians.
Enaba’s statement came after EgyptAir Holding Company Chairperson and CEO Roushdy Zakaria said that Egyptian airports may replace the quarantine with home isolation for citizens repatriated from abroad.
Enaba further stressed that such decisions are taken by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, rather than the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
