Coronavirus: Egypt reports first death, total confirmed cases increase to 55

Egypt has confirmed the first death from the novel coronavirus in the country. The fatality was a 60-year-old German tourist who died in Egypt after contracting the disease, confirmed health ministry in Cairo in a media report on March 9.

According to the reports, the man arrived in Hurghada from Luxor on March 6 and was admitted to Red Sea resort hospital after he showed symptoms for COVID-19. He was placed under intensive care in the medical facility due to the rise in his recorded temperature. The health ministry said in a statement that the man was reluctant to be transferred to designated isolation hospital after he tested positive for the coronavirus, and later succumbed to the declining health from the ailment.

The health officials in Egypt declared last week that at least 45, including foreign nationals, tested positive to the strain of novel COVID-19 after an outbreak occurred on a cruise liner that entered Southern City of Luxor. Prior to that, Egypt had detected only 3 cases of coronavirus, as per the media reports. But as of March 8, the health ministry spokesperson said that 10 more cases had emerged, and the total confirmed cases climbed to 55. The cases were reportedly traced after a man returning from Saudi Arabia tested positive.

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Tourism and business badly hit

Health Minister Hala Zayed reportedly said that there was no exaggeration, but the government was very vigilant at the time. She said that the tourism industry, an important driver of Egypt’s economy and foreign exchange, has slowed down due to the coronavirus. Guides and souvenir sellers near Giza pyramids outside Cairo revealed in a media report that the business was on a standstill.

The cruise vessel that arrived from Aswan has been towed in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor and passengers onboard the ship quarantined, a state media report revealed. The coronavirus had spread on the cruise liner after a Taiwanese American woman contracted the disease. A total of 171 people, including 70 crew, are stranded on the boat as health screening is in progress, confirmed reports.

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