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Egypt to begin COVID-19 vaccinations on Sunday

January 24, 2021 at 10:27 am

An Egyptian medical worker checks blood donated from a person who recovered from Covid-19 in Cairo on 22 July 2020 [KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images]

Egypt will begin coronavirus vaccinations on Sunday, beginning with medical staff, President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said in recorded comments on Saturday, Reuters reports.

On Friday, Egypt recorded 748 new cases and 52 deaths. However, health officials say the real number is likely far higher because of the relatively low rate of coronavirus testing and the exclusion of private test results.

Egypt received its first shipment of vaccines developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) in December.

Egypt will get 40 million vials via the GAVI vaccine alliance for 20 million people, or 20% of the 100 million population, its health minister said last week.

READ: Iran’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout to start in February