Egypt: Massive fire kills seven COVID-19 patients

"A fire broke out hours ago at Al Badrawi Hospital (Mohamed Naguib - Sidi Bishr branch) resulting from electrical short circuit in one of the air conditioners inside the intensive care unit, and it is only a few seconds until the electric diamond turns into a massive fire that did not stop any of the workers absorbing the situation to contain it due to the resulting ignition speed", the statement posted by the hospital on Facebook read.

Seven other people were injured in the blaze. Five fire engines rushed to the scene, while ambulances carried the patients to another medical institution in Alexandria.

Egypt registered 1,566 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, raising the total cases registered in the country since mid-February to 66,754, said Egyptian Health Ministry. On the same day, 83 patients died from the disease, bringing the death toll to 2,872, Egyptian Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement. According to the spokesman, 412 patients were completely cured and discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours, taking the total recoveries in the country to 17,951.

Egypt -- the most populous Arab country has started gradual reopening of services and offices, and allowed operation of over 260 hotels for local tourists with 50-percent capacity after they were given official hygiene safety certificates.