The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Egypt passed 3,000 on Saturday as authorities announced the largest 24-hour rise in infections and deaths since the crisis began.
The 188 new confirmed cases maintained a steady rise in the number of infections of the disease and suggested that the worst might yet be to come in the most populous Arab nation.
The health ministry said the new cases of Covid-19 take the toll to 3,032, but 701 people have recovered in quarantine hospitals.
Nineteen people died over the same period, taking the number of fatalities to 224, the ministry said.
The previous record high of 171 infections and 17 deaths was on April 10.
These numbers were relatively low in a country of 100 million people but the daily numbers appeared to be increasing.
Authorities earlier forecast that when the number of infections reached 1,000 it would grow exponentially.
It took more than a month to reach that mark but it has more than tripled in almost two weeks, official figures show.
Officials have tried to reassure Egyptians that the numbers remain within predictions but said ignoring social distancing and breaching a ban on large gatherings, as happened this week in outdoor markets and on public transport, could pose a serious challenge in containing the outbreak of the virus.
The new figures came two days before the national holiday of Sham El Naseem, when millions of Egyptians picnic or organise family gatherings at homes over meals of meat or fish.
Sensing the damage of large gatherings on Monday, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly last week said public parks would be closed that day and all public transport suspended.
