Cairo faces second COVID-19 wave

This picture taken on August 26, 2020 shows a view of the historic Metro cinema theatre along the commercial Talaat Harb street in the city centre of Egypt's capital Cairo. (AFP)

• The minister of health and population said the occurrence of a second wave is linked to a false sense of safety
• She warned that some citizens were not wearing masks in public transport

CAIRO: Two days after an official warning from the Egyptian prime minister of a second wave, cases of coronavirus have risen significantly in number in Egypt.
The Egyptian Ministry of Health said late on Thursday that it had recorded 237 new cases of coronavirus, and 25 deaths, compared to 206 cases and 19 deaths the previous day.
Egypt recorded less than 100 new cases of the virus a few days ago. It recorded 89 new cases on Aug. 22, which was the lowest number in five months, but the numbers have since increased.
“The total number that has been registered in Egypt with the new coronavirus up to today is 98,062 cases, including 69,612 cases that have been cured, and 5,342 deaths,” said Khaled Mujahid, a spokesman for the ministry.
In the last Cabinet meeting, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly warned of the noticeable increase in the number of infections, stressing the need to follow up tightening precautionary measures and applying penalties to violators to avoid a new wave of the epidemic.
Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed pointed out that the occurrence of a second wave is linked to a false sense of safety among people that the epidemic has ended, which leads them to relax adherence to the precautionary measures such as the commitment to wearing masks and social distancing.
The Minister of Health warned that some citizens were not wearing masks in public transport, which may cause the infection to spread among citizens.
The adviser to the President of the Republic for health affairs, Dr. Muhammad Awad Taj Al-Din, said that the high infection rate is due to vacations and travel, which is expected, indicating that these numbers are not as large as those that followed the Eid celebrations.
He said that the incubation period for the coronavirus extends to 15 days, and the increase in infections is a cumulative result of the summer holidays. He explained that it is necessary not to forget the precautionary measures to prevent the virus.
In mid-March, Egypt imposed general isolation measures to combat the outbreak of the virus, including a night-time curfew, banning large public gatherings, and closing restaurants, theaters and cinemas. But the country has lifted most of these measures since late June.
On Friday, Egypt held Friday prayers in mosques, for the first time since the outbreak of Coronavirus, with special conditions and precautions being set.
After the Egyptian health authorities completed the trial of a coronavirus vaccine on animals, clinical trials will follow, which is the last step before the vaccine is approved.
The Ministry of Higher Education in Egypt has invited healthy volunteers to participate in these trials. The conditions are determined by research protocols, without the volunteers getting any financial compensation according to the law. The vaccine, is one of four vaccines currently being developed by Egypt.