The American University in Cairo (AUC) said on Friday it will complete the spring semester remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

AUC said in a statement the decision was taken to allow the university to shift its entire focus to delivering the "best possible learning outcomes" for its students.

"After consultation with faculty, chairs and deans, as well as analysis of survey results, we have come to the decision to complete the Spring semester through online learning," AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman said.

"While no one can predict when we may safely return to campus, the inability to anticipate and plan for the rest of the semester has been a challenge for both faculty and students."

The announcement comes a few weeks after AUC said it would shift to online modes of instruction as Egypt continues to battle COVID-19, the highly contagious disease caused by the coronavirus.

AUC said at the time that it had no confirmed cases among its community, and that tests for a number of community staff with flu-like symptoms were negative.

Egypt has so far reported 865 coronavirus cases, with 58 fatalities. The country has also shuttered schools, mosques, churches and restaurants, and imposed a nighttime curfew in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.