BAMAKO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Mali's health authorites reported 32 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the number of confirmed cases to 612 in the country.
According to a press release from Mali's Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, 133 tests were done in the past 24 hours, and 32 came back positive, including 21 cases from capital city Bamako, epicenter of the pandemic in Mali.
Three more deaths were recorded, and five more patients tested negative and were declared cured after treatments. A total of 2,013 close contacts are under observation by the country's health authorities.
So far, the West African country has reported 612 positive cases, including 32 deaths and 228 patients cured, since the beginning of the pandemic in the country on March 25.
As a measure to contain the spread of the virus, the Malian government has decided to extend the closure of all education establishments from April 9 to May 9.
Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a state of health emergency on March 25 and instituted a curfew since March 26. Enditem
