Egypt records 223 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours

CAIRO – 29 August 2020: Over the past 24 hours, the Egyptian Ministry of Health registered 223 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number to 98,285 since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

As for the number of mortalities, 20 patients died from the virus in the last 24 hours, raisin the death toll to 5,362, said the Ministry in a statement on Friday.

The government has eased measures to combat coronavirus, including opening a number of well-known gardens, clubs, restaurants and cafes with a limited number of visitors. However, it has urged citizens to commit to wearing masks in public areas and maintaining social distancing. But a large number of citizens have been seen in crowded areas, without wearing masks.

The Egyptian government on Wednesday has expressed concerns over the rise of coronavirus cases, after it significantly declined over the past few weeks, down from 1,774 cases on June 19, the country’s highest daily count.

Health Minister Hala Zayed on Wednesday warned of some citizens’ lax behavior during the coronavirus crisis, including not committing to wearing masks in crowded areas and public transportation, saying it may lead to a second wave of the pandemic in the northeastern African country.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli, Zayed reviewed the measures that should be taken during the coming period, in light of the new rise in coronavirus cases, including being prepared for all probable scenarios. These steps shall include following a presidential initiative to treat chronic diseases, which put the lives of coronavirus patients at higher risk of severe symptoms and death.

Zayed also called for continuing to aware citizens of the need to follow the preventive measures in this regard and applying penalties on violators.

Madbouli said the significant increase in coronavirus cases requires citizens to be cautious and pushes continuous application of preventive measures and a need to continue punishing violators.