Egypt confirms 1,332 new COVID-19 cases, tally surpasses 58,000

Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-24 05:17:31|Editor: huaxia
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EGYPT-CAIRO-PHARMACY-COVID-19

A woman wearing a face mask talks with a shop assistant at a pharmacy in Cairo, Egypt, June 23, 2020. Egypt confirmed on Tuesday 1,332 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total cases registered in the country since mid-February to 58,141, said Egyptian Health Ministry. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Egypt confirmed on Tuesday 1,332 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total cases registered in the country since mid-February to 58,141, said Egyptian Health Ministry.

The new infections mark the lowest in five days after a record of 1,774 cases was seen on June 19.

Also 87 patients died from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 2,365, Egyptian Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

He added that 402 patients were completely cured and discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, increasing the total recoveries in the country to 15,535.

Megahed reiterated Egypt's close cooperation with the World Health Organization regarding the pandemic, case detection and treatment protocol.

The capital Cairo and the nearby provinces of Giza and Qalioubiya reported the highest numbers of COVID-19 infections in Egypt, while the provinces of the Red Sea, Matrouh and South Sinai saw the lowest, according to the statement.

Earlier in the day, Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said that 79 percent of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients are less than 60 years old, noting that 85.7 percent of the coronavirus-related deaths already suffered chronic diseases.

Egypt announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case on Feb. 14 and the first death from the respiratory disease on March 8.

On Tuesday, the Egyptian cabinet decided to start from June 27 lifting a partial nighttime curfew that has been imposed in the country for three months, amid a "coexistence plan" to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.

The decision includes reopening restaurants and cafes with 25 percent of their capacity, yet serving smoking hookah or shisha will still be prohibited in these places.

Likewise, theaters and cinemas will be allowed to reopen as of June 27 with a 25-percent capacity.

"Mosques and churches will also be reopened for daily prayers but weekly mass prayers will remain suspended," Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in televised remarks.

All shops will be closed at 9 p.m. local time but restaurants and cafes will be closed at 10 p.m., according to the decision.

Public beaches and parks will remain closed, said the Egyptian prime minister, noting that public means of transport will continue working until midnight.

Egypt and China have been cooperating closely in fighting the pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise.

In early February, Egypt provided aid to China to help with its fight against COVID-19 and China later returned favor by sending three batches of medical aid to the North African country, the latest of which was in mid-May.

Since mid-April, Chinese doctors and medical experts have held three video conferences with Egyptian counterparts to share their experience in the prevention and treatment of the novel coronavirus.

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