Egypt Watch

Egyptian doctors die of COVID-19 amid official silence

The undersecretary of the Faculty of Medicine of Kasr Al-Aini, Dr. Hisham al-Saket, has died of a coronavirus infection in an isolation hospital in Obour City. Al-Saket and his wife were infected on April 16 and he was placed on mechanical ventilator a few days ago after his health deteriorated. The orthopedic consultant at Sohag General Hospital, Dr. Mamdouh el-Sayed, died inside the isolation hospital, a week after he was infected with the virus. This brings the total number of deaths among Egyptian doctors due to coronavirus to six, along with more than 100 others infected with the virus.

A couple of doctors were infected after one came into contact with an infected patient in al-Ahrar Teaching Hospital in Zagazig, and the infection was transmitted to her husband, her children and mother-in-law. The Suez Canal University isolated five doctors and 13 nursing staff, after contacting a patient who was confirmed to be infected with coronavirus in the university hospital.

The Egyptian Medical Syndicate accused the Ministry of Health of not protecting doctors, and leaving them to work without preventive measures. The syndicate has called on both the prime minister and the health minister to equate medical staff who died of COVID-19 with war heroes.