Egypt’s Misr Chemical Industries to raise antiviral disinfectant output as coronavirus boosts demand

Egypt’s Misr Chemical Industries, part of state-owned Chemical Holding Company, is stepping up production of an antiviral disinfectant called sodium hypochlorite as the country’s coronavirus pandemic is boosting demand.

The company is seeking to increase its output of sodium hypochlorite to 120,000 tonnes a year, the country’s business public sector ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The sodium hypochlorite, a broad-spectrum disinfectant, is effective for the disinfection of viruses and germs, and is used in sterilising surfaces, buildings, and equipment, the statement read.

The demand for the disinfectant has recently jumped by more than 800 percent due to the coronavirus, the ministry said.

The company is catering to the needs of a number of ministries, governorates, companies, and hospitals as part of the country’s precautionary measures to curb the spread of the virus.