China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. Reuters
China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. Reuters
China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. Reuters
China's Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. Reuters

MENA

Egypt

Three detained in Egypt after Covid-19 vaccines found dumped

Social media showed piles of boxes along water channel banks

The National

October 11, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Egyptian prosecutors have ordered the arrest of three people after thousands of unused Covid-19 vaccines were found dumped along a water channel.

An inventory found nearly 5,000 more packages had been lost from the depot because of storage at improper temperatures, a prosecution statement said on Sunday. The vaccines that were dumped went missing after being given by an authorised pharmacist to the driver of a Health Ministry vehicle to deliver to the Minya directorate, the prosecution said.

It did not give the number of doses or type of vaccine, but an earlier official statement said they were made by China's Sinopharm.

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The vaccines had been allocated to the health directorate in the city of Minya, about 220 kilometres south of Cairo, where 18,400 vaccine packages with a value of more than 5 million Egyptian pounds ($319,000) were found to be missing.

Images posted on social media showed piles of white boxes scattered along the water channel's banks in Bani Mazar province, north of Minya.

Initial investigations held the pharmacist and an official at the directorate's depot responsible for gross negligence, and they were ordered to be detained for investigations along with the driver after giving conflicting accounts, the statement said.

Egypt is aiming to vaccinate 40 million of its population of more than 100 million by the end of the year, but has struggled to ramp up its vaccination rate amid delays in supplies and some vaccine hesitancy.

Medical personnel checks an X-ray at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
Medical personnel checks an X-ray at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
A woman wears a protective face mask, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease in Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A woman wears a protective face mask, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease in Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
An Imam makes the Adaan call to prayer inside an empty mosque after the government banned all religious activities due to the coronavirus outbreak in Cairo. AP
An Imam makes the Adaan call to prayer inside an empty mosque after the government banned all religious activities due to the coronavirus outbreak in Cairo. AP
A man wears a protective face mask while walking through a sanitizing gate in Cairo. Reuters
A man wears a protective face mask while walking through a sanitizing gate in Cairo. Reuters
People at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
People at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo, Egypt. EPA
Medical personnel check the body temperature of a man at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
Medical personnel check the body temperature of a man at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
A doctor checks a patient at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
A doctor checks a patient at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
Medical personnel with patients at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
Medical personnel with patients at the Imbaba Fevers Hospital in Cairo. EPA
Aya Dessouky, public relations specialist at the Giza Systems Education Foundation, packs a newly-fabricated protective face shield before sending it for use by medical professionals treating Covid-19 coronavirus patients. AFP
Aya Dessouky, public relations specialist at the Giza Systems Education Foundation, packs a newly-fabricated protective face shield before sending it for use by medical professionals treating Covid-19 coronavirus patients. AFP
A police checkpoint at the area of the Cairo suburb of Maadi during a night-time curfew to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Reuters
A police checkpoint at the area of the Cairo suburb of Maadi during a night-time curfew to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Reuters
A man wearing a protective face mask walks in street in Cairo. EPA
A man wearing a protective face mask walks in street in Cairo. EPA
Closed shops along Khayamiya Street in the old city of the Egyptian capital Cairo, almost empty due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. AFP
Closed shops along Khayamiya Street in the old city of the Egyptian capital Cairo, almost empty due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. AFP
A member of the medical staff at the infectious diseases unit of the Imbaba hospital in Cairo. AFP
A member of the medical staff at the infectious diseases unit of the Imbaba hospital in Cairo. AFP
A man wearing a protective face mask walks near a granite symbol hand of peace, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease. Reuters
A man wearing a protective face mask walks near a granite symbol hand of peace, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease. Reuters
A woman wearing a protective face mask sits inside an empty metro train, as she travels on a line Shubra Al Khaimah to Tahrir Square. Reuters
A woman wearing a protective face mask sits inside an empty metro train, as she travels on a line Shubra Al Khaimah to Tahrir Square. Reuters
Egyptian policemen patrol the Qasr Nile bridge to ensure people abiding by restrictions during the national holiday of Sham El-Nessim. EPA
Egyptian policemen patrol the Qasr Nile bridge to ensure people abiding by restrictions during the national holiday of Sham El-Nessim. EPA
The Great pyramids lighten-up with blue light and reading with a laser projection the message "Stay Home" on the Giza plateau outside the Egyptian capital of Cairo. AFP
The Great pyramids lighten-up with blue light and reading with a laser projection the message "Stay Home" on the Giza plateau outside the Egyptian capital of Cairo. AFP
A medical worker disinfects an ambulance which transported a possible patient with coronavirus Covid-19 at fever hospital in Embaba district. EPA
A medical worker disinfects an ambulance which transported a possible patient with coronavirus Covid-19 at fever hospital in Embaba district. EPA

Meanwhile, most countries in the Middle East reported a fall in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in recent weeks, the World Health Organisation said last month.

However, Egypt, Palestine, Somalia, Syria and Yemen are reporting surges in coronavirus cases and deaths.

Case numbers declined by 16 per cent and deaths by 8 per cent in the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region, which has a population of about 679 million.

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier

ICC Academy, November 22-28

UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal

ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan 

UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman

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ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
 

The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.

Race card

1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.

2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.

2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m.

3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m.

3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m.

4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m.

4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m.

The National selections:

1.45pm: Galaxy Road – So Hi Speed

2.15pm: Majestic Thunder – Daltrey

2.45pm: Call To War – Taamol

3.15pm: Eqtiraan - Bochart

3.45pm: Kidd Malibu – Initial

4.15pm: Arroway – Arch Gold

4.35pm: Compliance - Muqaatil

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Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday

Second leg

Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

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The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT

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Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km

 

 

The specs: 2019 Haval H6

Price, base: Dh69,900

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

The specs: 2019 BMW X4

Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800

Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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FA Cup fifth round

Chelsea v Manchester United, Monday, 11.30pm (UAE), BeIN Sports

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Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora

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Favourite author - Paulo Coelho 

Favourite holiday destination - Cuba 

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Updated: October 11, 2021, 7:09 AM`
Egypt