Egypt confirms 50,000 Coronavirus cases

With a daily new coronavirus cases of 1218, Egypt has reached and slightly surpasses a total of 50,000 cases.

The health ministry said on Thursday that " We registered a total of 50,437 cases of the coronavirus and 1,938 deaths."

The world’s most populous Arab nation closed itself off in March to curb the spread of the disease, shutting schools, restaurants and halting almost all international flights.

The pandemic shuttered Egypt’s vital tourism industry, which the government says accounts for 5% of economic output.

With a daily new coronavirus cases of 1218, Egypt has reached and slightly surpasses a total of 50,000 cases.

The country hopes to be able to welcome tourists back for the summer season and has said it plans to reopen its airports to scheduled international flights from July 1.

Egypt's higher education minister cited a study on June 1 which estimated that the "actual number of cases could be up to five times higher than the figure reported."

Health officials at the beginning of the pandemic had urged citizens to report even mildly symptomatic cases, which would then be taken to designated isolation hospitals across the country.

As the infections continued to steadily rise, however, the health ministry began offering prescriptions that can be delivered to sick individuals’ homes.