国际英语新闻:Egypt records 1,365 new COVID-19 cases, 35,444 in total

CAIRO June 8 (Xinhua) -- Egypt reported 1,365 COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total infections in the North African country to 35,444.

Egypt registered 34 more fatalities from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll in the country to 1,271, said Khaled Megahed, the health ministry's spokesman, in a statement.

Meanwhile, the total recoveries increased to 9,375 after 414 new ones were added, he added.

It is the 12th day in a row for Egypt's daily new COVID-19 infections to go beyond 1,000.

Egypt, which announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case on Feb. 14, is working on increasing the number of hospitals treating coronavirus patients from 340 to 376.

As a key precautionary measure, the Egyptian government has been imposing a nighttime curfew since March 25.

The current nine-hour curfew will continue until mid-June, when the government will consider easing relevant restrictions amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.

The government has already started gradual reopening of services and offices, and allowed reopening of about 100 hotels for local tourists with a 50-percent capacity after they were given official hygiene safety certificates.

Egypt and China have been cooperating closely in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise.

In early February, Egypt provided aid to China in its fight against the coronavirus outbreak. China returned favor by sending three batches of medical aid to Egypt.

Since mid-April, Chinese doctors have held three video conferences with Egyptian counterparts to share their experience in the prevention and treatment of the novel coronavirus.