Egypt receives first batch of Russia's covid vaccine

Egypt yesterday received the first consignment of 210,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V anti-coronavirus vaccine.

The state-run Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement and Medical Supplies said in a statement that the doses had come as part of a “deal signed in May between the two countries to acquire 2 million doses of the Russian vaccine.”

The authority said this batch came under a contract signed in May between the two countries. The remainder of the doses will be delivered according to the contract in the coming period.

Last April, the Russian Sovereign Fund signed an agreement with Egypt’s Minapharm Pharmaceutical, under which the latter would get a license to produce more than 40 million doses of the Russian vaccine.

“Egypt will produce 40 million doses annually of Sinovac and Sputnik V vaccines,” the statement read.

Over the last six months, Egypt has been witnessing a decline in the number of infections, with 466 cases and 32 fatalities on Wednesday, according to official data.

So far, a total of 278,761 have contracted the virus in Egypt, 15,967 of whom have died, and 207,411 others have recovered, according to the US’ Worldometers.

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