Egypt is set to receive the first shipment of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Monday, said the Unified Procurement Authority (UPA), a government body responsible for purchase orders. The step is in line with the country's plan to make vaccines available for the Egyptian citizens and travelers, the UPA said in a statement on Friday. Late in May, head of the UPA Bahaa El-Din Zidan said Egypt contracted with the African Export-Import Bank to import 20 million Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses. New shipments of Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik, AstraZeneca vaccines are expected this month as well, Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Thursday, as the country seeks to widen the rollout of the inoculation process. Up to five million citizens have been vaccinated out of 10 million people who have registered on the country's vaccination programme, according to health ministry officials. Egypt has recorded a total of 284,580 coronavirus cases, including 16,562 deaths and 232,601 recoveries. Egypt's single-day toll of infections and deaths has been on a downward curve since early June as the country has passed the peak of the third wave. However, the cases are expected to rise again in September due to the fourth wave that is hitting many countries currently.
