A woman who is in a contact with people who have contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) wears a protective face mask as she waits behind iron bars to receive free medicine provided by the Ministry of Health, at a medical centre in Cairo, Egypt June 3, 2020 REUTERS
Egypt detected 1,420 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total infection tally to 59,561 since the outbreak was first reported in the country in mid-February, the health ministry has announced.
The ministry also reported 85 new deaths caused by the pandemic, bringing the total fatalities to 2,450.
The statement said that 400 patients have been discharged from hospitals, with the overall number of recoveries standing at 15,935.
Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said that the number of people whose test results have turned from positive to negative, including the 15,935 recoveries, has now reached 17,434.
Wednesday’s infection toll is up from 1,332 cases detected on Tuesday; yet remains lower than Egypt's daily record high of 1,774 detected last week.
The steady increase in cases comes as Egypt is abolishing on Saturday a nationwide curfew imposed since March to stem the spread of the virus.
Starting Saturday, Egypt will reopen restaurants, sporting clubs and places of worship in a move aimed at easing precautionary measures in place since March.
Authorities will allow restaurants, cafes and sporting clubs to reopen at a reduced capacity of 25 percent in the first phase.
Cafes and restaurants will now be allowed to open until 10pm, while shops will be required to close at 9pm instead of the current 6pm. A shisha ban will remain in place.
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