Are Cairo and Beijing setting up their own mini covid passport system? Egypt and China could share travelers’ covid-19 medical records with each other through a QR code-based system that would include their PCR and antibody test results, as well as their vaccination status, Health Minister Hala Zayed and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Li Chang said yesterday, according to a statement. Egypt’s Cabinet has already approved the proposal, which is meant to facilitate travel between both countries.

Sinovac manufacturing within arm’s reach: A joint manufacturing agreement will be signed within days to begin locally producing China’s Sinovac vaccine through state-owned Vacsera, the statement says. Egypt plans to manufacture 80 mn doses of the Chinese vaccine each year, along with Pharco’s BioGeneric Pharma and Eva Pharma.

Covid-19 spike in Sohag: Awareness campaigns on the dangers of covid-19 and the importance of precautionary measures are being launched in Sohag, where the Health Ministry has recorded a jump in reported cases, ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed told Ala Mas’ouleety’s Ahmed Moussa. Megahed denied that the governorate’s hospitals are overwhelmed with the caseload, saying that the average number of weekly infections in the current third wave is below the weekly average the governorate saw during the first wave, while the number of covid-19 facilities has nearly tripled (watch, runtime: 4:27).

The Health Ministry reported 855 new covid-19 infections yesterday, up from 852 the day before. Egypt has now disclosed a total of 218,041 confirmed cases of covid-19. The ministry also reported 42 new deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 12,820.

At least 12 EU members believe they will be able to meet their mid-July target to vaccinate 70% of their priority populations as vaccine rollouts get a boost with a ramp up in deliveries Reuters reports.