The Health Ministry reported 2,101 new covid-19 infections yesterday, down from 2,117 the day before. Egypt has now disclosed a total of 461,299 confirmed cases of covid-19. The ministry also reported 54 new deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 23,519.

The vaccine tally: 29,305,504 people are now fully vaccinated against the virus, while some 9.5 mn people have received only their first shots and 835,270 people have received booster shots.

Rapid antigen tests will be available for purchase in pharmacies, Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said yesterday, according to a Cabinet statement. The move is meant to make covid-19 testing more widely available to the public. The tests have so far only been available through laboratories and diagnostics centers.

Merck’s Molnupiravir antiviral covid pill will also be rolled out through ministry-affiliated pharmacies, Abdel Ghaffar said. The antiviral covid treatment, which is currently only available in hospitals, was approved for emergency use in late January, making it the first country in the Middle East and Africa to do so. Five local firms have already been licensed to manufacture the treatment.