Egypt’s average daily COVID-19 cases declines to 559 over past week

Ahram Online , Saturday 2 Apr 2022

The average daily coronavirus infection toll in Egypt continued to decline this past week, with the country reporting an average of 559 infections and eight deaths per day over the past week, down from the previous week’s 625.

File Photo: Egyptian health workers collect samples at a drive-through coronavirus-testing center at the Ain Shams University in Cairo on June 29, 2020. AFP

Furthermore, the total number of recoveries since the outbreak began in February 2020 increased to 438,458 after a daily average of 565 people were discharged from hospitals nationwide over the past seven days, the Ministry of Health and Population said in its third weekly update on the pandemic nationwide.

More than 32.5m citizens have been fully vaccinated to date, according to the ministry, which has been urging citizens to register on its website to receive the vaccine.

The ministry also continues to receive citizens’ inquiries regarding the coronavirus via the 105 and 15335 hotlines as well as WhatsApp on +201553105105.

Those who think they may have contracted the disease can also download the Android or iPhone versions of the ‘Sehat Misr’ app for guidance regarding which hospitals to head to.

Amid a global decline in infections, Egypt has reported a drop in coronavirus cases and deaths as well as in COVID-induced hospitalisations over the recent weeks while continuing its mass vaccination campaign.

Egypt’s Acting Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar announced late in March that 52 percent of the targeted population has been vaccinated. The ministry also said that for life in Egypt to return to the way it was pre-pandemic, 70 percent of the targeted groups must be vaccinated — a goal that the country seeks to achieve by mid-2022.

Egypt has eased its coronavirus restrictions during the holy month of Ramadan, which started on Saturday, lifting a two-year suspension on the traditional Ramadan charity banquets, where free food is provided to millions of needy people around tables in the streets.

Late in March, the Cabinet announced that it would also be easing coronavirus-related restrictions on mosques, allowing them to open their annex event halls and conduct afternoon prayer sermons (El-Asr) and mass Ramadan night prayers (Taraweeh) during the holy month.

Ramadan late-night prayers (Tahajjud) and seclusion in mosques for a period of time (I'tikaf), however, are still prohibited.

Furthermore, according to the Cabinet’s decisions, shops, restaurants, and cafes are allowed to remain open till 2am and weddings and celebrations at indoor halls in hotels have been allowed as long as they follow precautionary measures against the coronavirus.