The Egyptian Medical Syndicate (EMS) announced, on Saturday, that the number of deaths among the Egyptian doctors caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has increased to 348.
The recent Egyptian doctors deaths included: Tariq Talaat Gerges, Ahmed Shawky, Ibrahim Nasri Al-Qadi, Emile Nazmy, Nabil Mahrous, Ibrahim Al-Nuwehi, and Ali Issa.
About 10,000 Egyptian doctors have been infected with COVID-19 so far, according to EMS Undersecretary Najwa El-Shafei.
Earlier on Friday, Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed said that a total of 1,315 healthcare workers have received the first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, manufactured by Chinese pharmaceutical company, Sinopharm. The healthcare workers are employed at 22 isolation and fever hospitals across Egypt.
The medical teams at the Abu Khalifa Isolation Hospital in Ismailia were the first in the country to receive the vaccine last week.
As the pandemic’s second wave intensified, both domestically and internationally, Egypt’s medical workers have yet again found themselves on the frontline in the battle against the virus, and have found themselves treating an increasing number of patients.
Medical workers at Egypt’s isolation hospitals have been given priority in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to those suffering from chronic diseases and the elderly.
In statements earlier this month, Zayed said that Egypt has reserved 100 million vaccine doses through different companies. A total of 40 million vaccine doses will be received from Sinopharm, alongside 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca- Oxford University vaccine.
In December 2020, Egypt received the first shipment of the Sinopharm vaccine, with support from the UAE’s G42 Healthcare.
