Cairo Says Death Rate Dropped during 4th COVID Wave

The ministers of health and solidarity discuss supporting the health and social care system of citizens (Egyptian health ministry spokesperson's Facebook page)
The ministers of health and solidarity discuss supporting the health and social care system of citizens (Egyptian health ministry spokesperson's Facebook page)
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Cairo Says Death Rate Dropped during 4th COVID Wave

The ministers of health and solidarity discuss supporting the health and social care system of citizens (Egyptian health ministry spokesperson's Facebook page)
The ministers of health and solidarity discuss supporting the health and social care system of citizens (Egyptian health ministry spokesperson's Facebook page)

Egypt's Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed has affirmed that coronavirus-related deaths rate declined during the fourth wave.

The health ministry reported Wednesday 692 new COVID-19 cases, raising Egypt’s total infections to 298,988 since the outbreak began in early 2020.

Egypt registered 27 fatalities, which increased the total number of deaths from complications caused by the disease to 17,043.

The country’s total number of recoveries reached 251,902, according to a statement by the Ministry of Health.

During a joint press conference held Thursday with German Ambassador to Egypt Frank Hartmann at Princess Fatma Academy for Vocational Medical Education in Abbasiya, Cairo, Zayed lauded cooperation between the two countries’ governments to confront the coronavirus outbreak.

Zayed said that negotiations are underway with Germany to acquire the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

"We have already received raw materials for manufacturing 15 million doses and we're currently receiving those for another 15 million doses," said Zayed.

"We currently provide our vaccination centers with 2 million doses per week of the VACSERA-Sinovac vaccine," said Zayed, noting that Egypt will have produced 80 million doses of the jab by the end of December.

Zayed said coronavirus vaccines are available in 850 vaccination centers across Egypt, including three large ones that can accommodate 60,000 people per day.

Zayed also thanked the United Kingdom for supporting Egypt by sending 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the past two weeks.



Israeli Ground Troops in Lebanon Reach the Litani River

Smoke rises as a result of an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Al-Khiam, as seen from northern Israel, 26 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)
Smoke rises as a result of an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Al-Khiam, as seen from northern Israel, 26 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)
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Israeli Ground Troops in Lebanon Reach the Litani River

Smoke rises as a result of an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Al-Khiam, as seen from northern Israel, 26 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)
Smoke rises as a result of an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Al-Khiam, as seen from northern Israel, 26 November 2024, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. (EPA)

The Israeli military says its ground troops have reached parts of Lebanon’s Litani River — a focal point of the emerging ceasefire.

In a statement Tuesday, the army said it had reached the Wadi Slouqi area in southern Lebanon and clashed with Hezbollah forces.

Under a proposed ceasefire, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border.

The military says the clashes with Hezbollah took place on the eastern end of the Litani, just a few kilometers (miles) from the border. It is one of the deepest places Israeli forces have reached in a nearly two-month ground operation.

The military says soldiers destroyed rocket launchers and missiles and engaged in “close-quarters combat” with Hezbollah forces.

The announcement came hours before Israel’s security Cabinet is expected to approve a ceasefire that would end nearly 14 months of fighting.