The Health Ministry reported 358 new covid-19 infections yesterday, up from 351 the day before. The ministry also reported 15 new deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 6,636.

Education Minister Tarek Shawki was on Amr Adib’s El Hekaya to reiterate that the school year will not be disrupted by the pandemic, and that contingency measures will be put in place if it is not possible for students to attend school to sit the Thanawiya Amma exams.

Egypt will produce plasma-derived meds in a USD 300 mn project with Spanish pharma manufacturer Grifols, according to an emailed statement from Shalakany Law, which acted as local legal counsel for Grifols. The Spanish company signed an agreement with the National Service Projects Organization (NSPO) to develop and operate plasma collection centers and manufacturing facilities, with plans to bring them online by the end of 2025. Helmy, Hamza & Partners and Baker McKenzie Cairo acted as legal advisors for NSPO.

Menoufia governor Ibrahim Abu Laymoun has tested positive for covid-19, he said in a statement to Ahram Gate. Four of his aides have also contracted the virus, he said.

Saudi Arabia has signed a non-binding MoU with Germany’s CureVac for the company’s covid-19 vaccine, Bloomberg reports. Advanced clinical trials of the vaccine are set to start by the end of the year, with KSA looking to distribute it across the GCC.

Relax, Westerners: Sputnik V won’t turn you Commie. With new data released by Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, Western sceptics of the low-cost vaccine are starting to come around, Canada’s CBC reports. Trials have been extended to cover a wider sample and efficacy scores have only gone up, allaying the fears of Western vaccine experts who previously criticized the trials for a lack of transparency.