Egypt: Covid cases surge in Sohag Governorate as medics turn patients away

Medical professionals in Sohag Governorate are calling for urgent measures to combat a sharp rise in coronavirus cases as hospitals turn patients away.

Head of the doctor’s union in Sohag, Mahmoud Mansour, called on the governorate to enforce a strict curfew, reports Mada Masr, and asked why no additional precautionary measures have been put in place in the area.

Over three days five doctors aged between 32 and 36 died from coronavirus.

There is also a call for more vaccinations for medics and residents and more vaccination centres in the area in light of the fact that a large number of doctors have not yet received the inoculation.

Sohag has a population of 5.5 million yet there are only three vaccination centres there.

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Another union member, Haitham Mohi Eddin, told Mada Masr that the hospital he works in was turning away dozens of patients every day because there are no beds to treat them.

Many patients are told to isolate themselves at home even if they have severe symptoms and have developed complications.

Overcrowding in hospitals has had the adverse effect of pushing up the number of infections and the death rate. A contributing factor is the lack of awareness campaigns about preventing transmission.

MP Mostafa Salem called on the central government to increase hospital capacity and medical supplies including ventilators, suspend schools and increase the number of vaccination centres.

Egyptian activists have taken to social media to demand the government intervene to curb escalating infections.=

They are also demanding the suspension of schools, the cancellation of exams, and the prevention of gatherings which are particularly big due to the fact that it is currently Ramadan.