Egypt’s Ministry of Heath and Population reported 1,577 new COVID-19 cases on Friday night, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 41,303 and marking the highest daily increase to date. The Ministry also announced 45 new deaths, bringing the death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt to 1,422.
Meanwhile, the total number of full recoveries has reached 11,108, with 417 new recoveries as of Friday night.
Despite the increase in the number of cases, including a new daily record being set, Egypt has taken a number of steps aimed at relaxing COVID-19 restrictions.
On Thursday, the Egyptian government announced that the nation-wide curfew would be shortened from 8PM-6AM to 8PM-4AM. Moreover, shops and commercial centres will be able to remain open for an additional hour, until 6PM each day.
Earlier in the week, Egyptian health authorities abolished all COVID-19 testing at airports across the country less than a day after 105 overseas Egyptian arrivals tested positive for COVID-19. The decision was taken ‘as part of the country’s plan to resume normal air travel after its suspension since March as a result of the pandemic’.
More than 150 hotels have also reopened at limited capacity as part of the government’s efforts to boost the tourism sector. The government is also taking steps to start welcoming foreign tourists to limited locations across the country.
The number of COVID-19 cases has been rising steadily since the end of May. Egypt passed 30,000 cases on 5 June and 20,000 cases on 28 May.
Comment (1)
[…] was attending its own spike in cases, with signs of growth in Nigeria and Egypt outstripped by South Africa’s soaring infection rate. Across the Middle East cases surged in […]