People wearing face masks are seen at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, on April 29, 2020. Egypt's COVID-19 cases rose to 5,268 after 226 new infections were confirmed on Wednesday, amid the government's "coexistence plan" of fighting the virus while resuming economic activities. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
CAIRO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Egypt COVID-19 cases rose to 5,268 after 226 new infections were confirmed on Wednesday, amid the government's "coexistence plan" of fighting the virus while resuming economic activities.
Egyptian Health Ministry said that 21 patients died from COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 380.
Meanwhile, 31 COVID-19 patients were completely cured and discharged from hospitals, increasing the tally of recoveries to 1,335, the ministry's spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.
Megahed highlighted Egypt's close cooperation and coordination with the World Health Organization regarding COVID-19 case detection and necessary medical care.
Egypt announced its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on Feb. 14 and the first death case of the pandemic on March 8.
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 virus.
But the government is currently trying to strike a balance between fighting COVID-19 and resuming services, businesses and economic activities through a coexistence plan, according to a video cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.
"The first stage of the coexistence plan includes general instructions to be implemented by individuals and establishments," Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said during the virtual cabinet meeting.
"The coexistence plan requires continued closure of places with a severe risk of virus transmission, and the replacement of services that require direct contact with the public with electronic services whenever possible," Zayed continued.
The Egyptian health minister pointed out that 25 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Egypt took place due to late arrival at hospitals.
She noted that the country has 17 isolation hospitals nationwide with 3,214 beds, including 527 beds for intensive care units, and 413 ventilators.
Egypt is currently implementing a nine-hour nighttime curfew that will continue until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that started on April 24.
The government plans to gradually resume services, businesses, production and other economic activities after Ramadan.
