Egypt given hope as new cases fall below 1,000 for second day

Egypt recorded fewer than 1,000 cases of coronavirus for a second day in a row on Friday, offering a glimmer of hope that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic may be behind the most populous Arab nation.

Egypt had by yesterday recorded 80,235 cases and 3,702 deaths since the coronavirus outbreak began in mid-February, according to health ministry figures.

Officials, however, believed the true numbers could be much higher, chiefly because testing was limited.

They also said the curve of infections and deaths caused by coronavirus was expected to level out during the first half of July before it is flattened by the end of the month.

These forecasts were yet to be validated.

News that new case numbers were below 1,000 broke hours after 11 people, including at least one child, drowned on Friday in the Mediterranean off a public beach in the city of Alexandria.

The beach is one of 61 in the city that have been closed since March as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The victims were among a large group who rushed to the water to try to save a drowning child but ended up drowning too, according to officials.

Although closed, the beach was invaded by holidaymakers shortly after sunrise to take advantage of the absence of the security guards enforcing closure.

The beach, called Al Nakheel, is known for its treacherous waters, which claim dozens of bathers’ lives every year.

Many beachgoers in Egypt take to the water along the country’s Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines or the Nile river without basic swimming skills, leaving many vulnerable to drowning.

The health ministry said on Friday that 981 Covid-19 cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours and that another 85 people died.

On Thursday, the ministry said 950 people contracted the disease and 51 died.

Egypt on Monday said the daily number of Covid-19 cases dipped below 1,000 for the first time in nearly 40 days, but the figure jumped back up on Tuesday and Wednesday, crushing hopes that a downward trend may have been under way.

A senior health ministry adviser said the numbers must decline for 14 consecutive days to indicate a flattened curve was under way.

June was by far the deadliest month since the pandemic began, with the number of cases and fatalities accounting for more than 50 per cent of those in the four months before combined.

Egypt almost completely reopened on June 27 after three months of various degrees of lockdown to contain the pandemic, a move that had many worried whether the government acted in haste.

Doctors told The National that while the daily number of cases continued to be a source of concern, the number of patients with life-threatening symptoms appeared to be decreasing.

Many of those arriving at hospitals with mild coronavirus symptoms were sent home to self-isolate and recover on their own, they said.