Egypt detected 540 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the total infections toll in the country since the outbreak of the pandemic last year to 168,597. The health ministry reported 48 deaths, bringing the fatalities from the virus to 9,560. 421 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 131,632. Egypt began its COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in late January, with priority to the country's medical staff who are on the frontline battling the outbreak. The roll-out would see each person receiving two shots administered 21 days apart. Minister of Health Hala Zayed said in a press conference on Wednesday that the ministry has concluded the vaccination of medical staff in 22 isolation hospitals nationwide. The ministry began vaccinating health staff in 86 chest and fever hospitals nationwide as a second phase of the immunisation program, according to the minister. Egypt is looking to boost its supply of coronavirus vaccines to face the outbreak in the overpopulous country which many fear could overwhelm the country's health system. It is currently awaiting on new deliveries of coronavirus vaccines to expand the vaccinations' access to more categories, especially to top priority groups which include patients suffering from chronic diseases and elderly citizens. Egypt received the first batch of the Chinese vaccine - 50,000 doses - in December from the UAE. The ministry approved the vaccine in early January and is expecting a second batch. China said it will provide Egypt with 300,000 doses of its Sinopharm vaccination “soon”, according to statements by Beijing's ambassador to Cairo on Thursday. The Chinese vaccine is one of three vaccines planned for use in inoculation by the country in innoculating citizens along with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. On 31 January, Egypt received the 50,000 doses as a first batch of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine from the British-Swedish company's branch in India. The batch, which consists of 50,000 doses, is part of a UPA's agreement that includes 20 million doses of the British AstraZeneca's vaccine – which is developed by India's R-pharma and Serum Institute following their deal to transfer the vaccine manufacturing technology from the British company.
