Second Egyptian military official dies of coronavirus

Egyptians bound for GCC countries gather in front of the Central Public Health Laboratories in downtown Cairo as they wait to get tested for the Covid-19 coronavirus on March 8, 2020.
Egyptians bound for GCC countries gather in front of the Central Public Health Laboratories in downtown Cairo as they wait to get tested for the Covid-19 coronavirus on March 8, 2020.
Image: AFP/ KHALED DESOUKI

A senior Egyptian military official died on Monday from the Covid-19 coronavirus, state newspaper Al-Ahram said, a day after state media announced the death of another senior military official.

Major General Shafie Abdel Halim Dawoud “died while fighting the coronavirus”, state television said, without giving any details. State media announced on Sunday that Major General Khaled Shaltout had died for the same reason.

Egypt has so far registered 327 cases of the respiratory disease caused by the virus, including 33 fatalities, the health ministry said on Sunday.

Across the African continent, 43 countries have reported positive cases of Covid-19, with over 1000 people infected.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called on Egyptians to remain at home for a further two weeks as the country tries to stem the rapid rise in coronavirus infections that have already taken a firm grip across the continent.

 

Reporting by Amina Ismail; Editing by Catherine Evans


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