CAIRO: Egypt is fully prepared to face a second wave of COVID-19 due to the experiences and lessons learned from the first, said Health Minister Hala Zayed.
There will be sufficient supply of relevant medicines, the number of people manning the coronavirus hotline will be increased to 800 from 500, and it will be available in more than one language, she added.
After the effectiveness of a vaccine is proven, priority will be given to medical teams, health workers, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases and immunodeficiency diseases, she said. Egypt has 600 hospitals ready to face a second wave, she added.
Clinical trials of a vaccine have been conducted in Egypt on 2,300 people so far, of whom 1,770 have been fully tested and 498 volunteers were excluded, Zayed said, adding that 6,000 people will undergo clinical trials.
The Ministry of Health and Population announced on Tuesday night that 98 patients who have recovered from coronavirus have been discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries in Egypt to 97,841. New cases numbered 139, and there were nine new deaths.
The ministry said the total number of infected people registered in Egypt is 104,787, of whom 97,841 have recovered and 6,071 died.
