Egypt: 317 Dead As COVID-19 Cases Pass 4,500

Egypt confirmed on Sunday 215 new cases and 10 deaths of COVID-19, raising the total number of cases registered in the country to 4,534, including 317 deaths, said the Egyptian Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, 62 COVID-19 patients were completely cured, increasing the tally of recoveries to 1,176, the ministry’s spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Megahed stressed Egypt’s close cooperation and coordination with the World Health Organisation regarding COVID-19 case detection and necessary medical care.

The first infection with the novel coronavirus was announced in Egypt in mid-February.

Since mid-March, Egypt has been implementing temporary closure of schools and universities, entertainment places, restaurants, malls, museums and archeological sites, besides suspending flights and halting sports activities, to curb the outbreak of the virus.

Ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that started on April 24, the government announced extending a previously imposed nighttime curfew but reducing it from 10 to nine hours and relaxing some anti-coronavirus restrictions.

While announcing the new curfew, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on April 23 that the country was trying to strike a balance between fighting the pandemic and maintaining economic growth.

He added that the government is working on resuming economic activities gradually after Ramadan.

(NAN)