The Health Ministry reported 633 new covid-19 infections yesterday, up from 613 the day before. Egypt has now disclosed a total of 175,059 confirmed cases of covid-19. The ministry also reported 51 new deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 10,101.

Despite the daily case steadily climbing and deaths hovering in the 50 / day range, Egypt “doesn’t have the luxury of implementing lockdowns,” Prime Minister Moustafa Mabdouly said during a meeting with the heads of House committees yesterday, according to Al Masry Al Youm. A large number of families are dependent on income from seasonal and casual workers — jobs that are vaporized by lockdowns — and the government has taken that into account in its covid-19 strategy, the PM said.

And with that comes your statutorily required daily reminder to wear your masks, courtesy of Health Ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed, who told Yahduth fi Misr’s Sherif Amer yesterday that the situation being relatively contained now doesn’t mean we’re going to avoid a third wave (watch, runtime: 3:55).

Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen has applied for EU clearance of its covid-19 vaccine from the European Medicines Agency (EMA, according to a statement from the agency. The EMA could issue its decision on the vaccine, which would be the EU’s fourth to be authorized if it is cleared, as early as mid-March.