Egyptian Cabinet Spokesperson Nader Saad on Friday said that the government’s decision to postpone a full economic reopening takes into account the continued increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt.
Saad emphasized, however, that the overwhelming majority of cases are mild.
During a phone call into the television program “At Nine” on Egypt’s Channel One, Saad said that the decision to reduce the end-time of Egypt’s curfew by two hours was made at the request of farmers who stressed that they need to transport their crops in the early morning hours. The curfew is now in place daily from 8 pm to 4 am.
According to Saad, the intensity of the virus worldwide has recently receded, including in Egypt. He continued: “Health data confirm that the ferocity of the virus has diminished, but it has begun to spread faster and wider.”
Egypt on Thursday confirmed 1,442 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s number of confirmed total cases so far to 39,726.
Thirty five cases died Thursday bringing total deaths to 1,377.
Health Ministry Spokesperson Khaled Megahed added that the total number of fully-recovered cases rose to 10,691, all of whom have been discharged from isolation hospitals.
Megahed added that the governorates that recorded the highest rate of coronavirus infection are Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia, while the governorates of the Red Sea, Matrouh and South Sinai recorded the lowest rates of infections.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
