Moderna to build a USD 500 mn vaccine facility in Africa
The Health Ministry reported 831 new covid-19 infections yesterday, up from 811 the day before. Egypt has now disclosed a total of 262,654 confirmed cases of covid-19. The ministry also reported 39 new deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 17,658.
Moderna wants to set up a USD 500 mn mRNA facility in Africa with an annual production capacity of up to 500 mn vaccine doses, the biotech company announced in a statement on Thursday. This is equal to the total number of vaccines that Moderna have so far supplied.
Italy will donate 45 mn doses to Africa in addition to providing funding of EUR 345 mn to the Covax program this year, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said in his closing speech of third edition of Italy-Africa Ministerial Conference that took place on Friday. There was no mention of Egypt as far as we can gather.