Egypt detected 818 new coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing total infections since the outbreak last year to 211,307. The health ministry reported 42 deaths, bringing the death toll from the virus to 12,487. 500 patients have been discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours after recovering from the virus, bringing total recoveries to 159,999. Egypt has urged caution against a possible rise in infections during the holy month of Ramadan, which begins on Tuesday. Health minister Hala Zayed said in a press conference last week that there was a significant rise in infections in the past six weeks, especially in Upper Egypt. She urged adherence to preventive measures during Ramadan, warning citizens against family gatherings and other popular rituals during the month to stem the spread of infections. On Monday, limited mosques nationwide opened their doors for mass night prayers, known as Taraweeh, the adoption of preventive measures against the coronavirus.
The mosques allowed to hold Taraweeh prayers are those the state permitted to open for Friday noon prayers due to their strict adoption of preventive measures to curb the spread of the pandemic. Taraweeh prayers, considered the most spiritual prayers held during Ramadan, were banned last year as Egypt had stopped in March all congregational religious activities nationwide to curb the spread of the virus in the overpopulated country.
