Egypt announces daily record of 149 new coronavirus cases, death toll rises to 85

A passerby has his temperature checked for free with a device belonging to a shop, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt March 19, 2020. (Reuters)

Egypt announced 149 new positive coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing the total to 1322, as well as 7 new fatalities, giving a total death toll of 85.

The newly detected cases are all Egyptians, all of whom either came from abroad or were in contact with other positive cases.

Health ministry said in a statement that the number of coronavirus patients who had retested negative for the virus had reached 396, of whom 259 have fully recovered and left isolation hospitals.

Egypt surpassed the thousand-case milestone on Saturday and on Friday recorded the highest daily deaths as eight fatalities were reported.

The government suspended schools and universities and closed airports in March.

Egyptian authorities have halted international flights, banned mass gatherings, and shuttered cinemas, mosques, churches and schools in response to the spread of the disease

On 24 March, Egypt declared a two-week curfew from 7pm to 6am, the broadest measure yet taken to combat the coronavirus.

Credit: Abramonline