An Egyptian doctor died on Friday after contracting the highly contagious novel coronavirus (COVID-19), becoming the country’s fourth health worker victim, the doctors’ syndicate told Ahram Online.
Ashraf Adly, a cardiology consultant, died at a quarantine hospital in the Upper Egyptian province of Aswan, the syndicate said in a statement.
The syndicate mourned the death of the doctor without providing more details on when or where he caught the virus.
Three doctors died of the coronavirus and 43 others were infected nationwide until mid-April. Only one of the deceased contracted the virus while carrying out his job, according to the syndicate.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered in late March a 75 percent increase in monthly allowances given to medical professionals at a total cost of 2.25 billion pounds, as part of government efforts to support members of the healthcare sector amid the coronavirus crisis.
Under a 2014 law issued under Sisi, a monthly allowance of between 400 Egyptian pounds ($25.5) and 700 ($44.5) is offered to physicians, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, physiotherapists, nursing staff, chemists, physicists, and medical technicians.
This new rise means the allowance will now range between 700 pounds and 1,225: 1,225 pounds for physicians, 875 pounds for dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians and physiotherapists, 787 pounds for nursing staff, chemists and physicists, and 700 pounds for medical technicians.
According to the World health organization, medical staff makes up around 13 percent of the confirmed coronavirus cases in Egypt.
Egypt’s health ministry reported 201 new coronavirus cases and seven deaths on Friday, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 4,092 and fatalities to 294.
