COVID-19
Egypt's health minister on Monday praised the Chinese coronavirus vaccine Sinopharm, after the Arab country received a 300,000-dose shipment of the shot as a donation from China.
"Scientifically, it is considered one of the strongest vaccines," Hala Zayed said.
Egypt is among dozens of nations depending on China to help rescue them from the COVID-19 pandemic, part of Beijing's vaccine diplomacy campaign that has been a surprising success.
Zayed told reporters Egypt was working with the Chinese government to become a manufacturer of the vaccine to meet supply and home and in other African countries.
Egypt had previously received 350,000 doses of the Sinopharm jab as well as a shipment of 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca shot.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said last month his country needs at least 70 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to inoculate 30-35 million people.
Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country with over 100 million people, has reported more than 195,418 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 11,598 deaths, according to a widely used tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The actual number of COVID-19 cases, like elsewhere in the world, is thought to be far higher, in part due to limited testing.
01:14
Measles outbreak kills 17 in Indonesia’s east java
01:01
US limits new Covid-19 vaccines to high-risk groups, removes Pfizer for under-5s
00:40
Africa boosts solar power with 60% surge in Chinese panel imports
00:41
Trump threatens 200% tariff hike for China if no rare-earth magnets supplied
00:59
World's tallest bridge completes load test in South West China
01:12
DR Congo: Civil society groups call for reassessment of China mining deal