Egypt to compensate doctors who contract coronavirus on the job

Egypt’s Medical Syndicate yesterday said it would compensate medical personnel who had contracted the coronavirus, paying them 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,267) or paying families of those who have died as a result of the virus 100,000 Egyptian pounds ($6,337).

Al-Ahram quoted a statement by the syndicate as saying that it would also disburse 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($3,167) to the families of its members who had died of the disease, including “local medical practitioners, dentists, veterinarians, and pharmacists”.

“The medical staff still bear their responsibilities on the front line to protect the nation from the threat of the pandemic,” the statement noted.

The move comes as the number of coronavirus infections among Egyptian medical staff has been on the rise since the beginning of April.

READ: At least 6 Egypt hospitals close as the country struggles with coronavirus pandemic

In recent days, the syndicate said three doctors had died of the virus and 43 had been infected.

The statement called on the government “to include medical personnel coronavirus-related deaths and infections among a 2018 state fund set to offer financial assistance to martyrs and those injured by terrorism.”

On Sunday, Egypt registered 126 new infections and 13 new fatalities. This brought the total number of confirmed cases in the North African country to 2,065 and the death toll to 159. It also said that 21 new patients had recovered, bringing the number of recoveries to 447. Canadian researches have put the actual number of those infected by the virus in Egypt far greater.

Since appearing in Wuhan, China, in December, the virus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions. So far, at least 1,981,912 people worldwide have contracted the virus, of whom more than 125,078 have died; 466,229 have recovered, according to the US’ Worldometers. WHO has declared the crisis a pandemic.