Egypt confirms 1,168 new COVID-19 infections, 88 deaths

Egypt reported 1,168 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total infections to 63,923, according to Egyptian health ministry.

Egypt registered 88 more fatalities from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll in the country to 2,708, the ministry's spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

The total recoveries in the North African country increased to 17,140 after 403 new recoveries were added Saturday, he said.


 
Megahed reiterated that all COVID-19 cases in Egypt receive necessary medical care "in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization."

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

On Saturday, the Egyptian government lifted 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, cafes, theaters and cinemas with 25 percent of their capacity, while public beaches and parks will remain closed.

Mosques and churches will also be reopened for daily prayers but weekly mass prayers will remain suspended.

Egypt is expected to resume international flights from July 1 as the country prepares for the return of foreign tourism, after more than three months of international flight suspension over COVID-19 concerns.


 
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.

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.