国际英语新闻:Egypt sees marked decline in daily COVID-19 infections, fatalities

CAIRO, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Egypt confirmed on Thursday 950 new COVID-19 infections and 53 fatalities, bringing the total cases registered in the country to 79,254 and the death toll to 3,617, said the health ministry.

Thursday's number of new infections is the lowest since May 28 when the daily increase started to surpass 1,000, while the new single-day deaths mark the fewest since June 13.

A record 1,774 daily infections was seen in Egypt on June 19.

Meanwhile, 512 patients were cured and discharged from hospitals on Thursday, raising the total recoveries to 22,753, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement.

Egypt announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case on Feb. 14 and the first death from the highly infectious virus on March 8.

Egypt resumed international flights on July 1 after more than three months of suspension, amid a coexistence plan to maintain anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming economic activities.

The North African country has recently lifted a partial nighttime curfew imposed over the past three months, and reopened restaurants, cafes, theaters and cinemas, as well as hotels, museums and archeological sites for tourists, all with limited capacity.

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

In early February, Egypt provided aid to China to help with its fight against COVID-19 and China later returned favor by sending three batches of medical aid to the country, the latest of which was in mid-May.

"So far, Chinese medical experts have held eight video conferences with Egyptian counterparts. China is so willing to strengthen remote consultation, dialogue and cooperation in the development and use of vaccines with Egypt," Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said at an online press conference on Wednesday.

On July 5, Liao delivered a batch of anti-coronavirus medical aid sent by the Chinese government to the Cairo-based Arab League.