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Prosecution investigates deaths of 7 patients in Alexandria private hospital fire Hospital's director, administrators summoned for questioning over licences and safety measures
The Alexandria Prosecution opened, on Monday, an investigation into the deaths of seven who passed away during a fire at the city's Badrawy Private Hospital. The deaths of six men and one woman were caused by smoke inhalation during the fire earlier on Monday, which erupted in the quarantine section for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients. The prosecution summoned the hospital's director and administrators for questioning over the incident. The prosecution is also investigating whether the hospital has the necessary paperwork and licence to establish a quarantine section for coronavirus cases. The hospital's industrial security licences and its implementation of safety measures will also be looked into. The prosecution ordered the transfer of the victims' bodies for autopsy to confirm the causes of death. Initial examinations suggest the fire broke out due to a short circuit in an air conditioner at the hospital's isolation section. As fire trucks reached the hospital to control the fire, several ambulances were on hand to transfer patients to other hospitals. On Sunday, Egypt reported 1,265 new coronavirus cases and 81 new fatalities, bringing the country's total to 65,188 cases and 2,789 deaths. In May, a fire erupted among vegetation outside the Imbaba Fever Hospital in Cairo, although no casualties were reported. Also in May, the Health Ministry set fixed prices for the coronavirus treatment at private hospitals ranging from EGP 1,500 to 10,000 per day. Many private hospitals have been providing isolation areas, intensive care units (ICU) and other treatment for coronavirus cases. A Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) report noted that, in 2018, Egypt had a total of 1,848 hospitals in 2018, of which 1,157, or 62.6%, were private facilities. The November 2019 CAPMAS report also said that public sector hospitals accounted for 37.4% of Egypt's total number of healthcare facilities.
