Egypt is witnessing a significant decline in the number of new infections with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, Advisor to the President for Health Affairs.
In a statement to the Extra News channel, Tag El-Din also said that this decline has been reported both through the Ministry of Health and Population’s official statistics, as well as through other channels identifying cases.
He stressed that during the months of December 2020 and January 2021, there were many new confirmed infections that rose until they reached a level of stability, before declining again.
However, Tag El-Din called on Egyptians to continue following the precautionary measures to prevent the further spread of the virus.
He said that those who have recovered from the coronavirus can fall victim again, adding, “After infection with the virus, immunity occurs and the antibodies that arm the body against re-infection remain for a period.”
Tag El-Din also said that whilst this period has not yet been specified, it is believed to be about six months.
He noted that all currently existing vaccines lead to the same purpose, which is to reduce complications from the coronavirus.
The cases that have priority vaccination are healthcare workers and other groups that are exposed to cases as part of their day-to-day work, whether in isolation hospitals, fevers, and chest, as well as the elderly and those who suffer from chronic diseases. This is due to their increased vulnerability to contract the virus, compared to other social segments.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Health and Population reported 534 new cases, in addition to 47 new fatalities. This brings Egypt’s total figures since the start of the pandemic to 169,640 cases and 9,651 fatalities. A total of 132,375 cases have recovered and been discharged from hospital.
