Egypt has passed the peak of the third wave of the Covid-19 infections as the number of cases is decreasing, a presidential adviser said Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference, presidential adviser for health affairs Mohamed Awad Tag Eddin stressed, however, the necessity of proceeding with all the precautionary measures against the virus.
He said that the “black fungus” disease is not new, but the issue surfaced recently after cases appeared in India where diabetes is widespread.
Humans can be infected with bacteria, viruses and fungi due to taking antibiotics for a long time, he pointed out.
The infections can also happen due to lack of immunity, the use of medications for a long time and the infection with irregular diabetes, he added.
“In these cases, an infection with the fungus can occur and it is treated with antifungals, including the ‘black fungus’ that was discovered in 1885,” he added.
“The world and Egypt have ‘black fungus’ infections, but what has raised the issue was the increasing numbers of cases in India,” he said.
This disease is not contagious, but it affects eyes, skin and the respiratory system, he said.
“The connection between coronvirus and the black fungus is limited to the cases of lack of immunity, which can lead to the infection with the disease,” he added.
He noted that the protection from the black fungus needs regulating the treatment of the diseases that affect immunity and can lead to fungal infection.
On Covid-19 vaccines, Tagg Eddin said that the state has sought to provide the jabs in the largest possible numbers through negotiations with China and world institutions to get the vaccines.
The African Union aspires to provide 300 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines during the current year, and Egypt is seeking to obtain 20 million doses from Johnson & Johnson in South Africa, which is a one-time jab.
He announced that 2.5 million Egyptians have been vaccinated. “We seek to vaccinate 40% of Egypt’s population by the end of this year.”
