Egypt reported 153 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, reporting a total tally of 107,030 cases since the outbreak began in mid-February.

The health ministry also reported 12 new deaths, bringing the total deaths from the virus up to 6,234.

In a statement they said that 90 patients had been discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 99,174.

The rise in daily toll comes as reports indicate a rise in coronavirus cases nationwide, as the general public have been showing a relaxed enforcement of the preventive measures since a drop in coronavirus cases had been recorded in the past few months.

Egypt has urged caution in anticipation of any spike leading to a second wave, especially with the resurgence in cases of the coronavirus in many European countries, particularly with the advent of autumn.

However, Egypt said it will not reinstate a full or partial lockdown if coronavirus infections surge once more. 

Meanwhile, Health Minister Hala Zayed reviewed in a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday the latest developments of the pandemic’s spread in the country and related clinical trials under global efforts to face the pandemic. 

Zayed said that Egypt is the first country in Africa to participate in the clinical trials for COVID-19 treatments in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO, along with other partners, has launched an international clinical trial in mid-March to examine a number of drugs for the deadly virus.

On the third phase of vaccine trials in Egypt, Zayed said around 3,784 volunteers have applied to join the trials after an extensive media campaign, with around 3,000 receiving the vaccine.

No vaccine for COVID-19 has yet been developed, and many countries are conducting human trials of several existing antiviral drugs to prove their efficacy.

Egypt is among the countries garnering international attention for the manufacturing of the vaccine due to its manufacturing capacity as well as geographical location, which allows it to become a vaccine hub in the African continent.