Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attends the Arab summit in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2019. Photo: REUTERS/Hamad l Mohammed/File Photo.

Egypt will hold inaugural elections for a new second parliamentary chamber on Aug. 11-12, election commissioner Lasheen Ibrahim said on Saturday.

Amendments made to Egypt’s constitution last year provided for the creation of the Council of Senators, a 300-member secondary chamber that will be two-thirds elected by the public and the remainder appointed by the president.

“Holding elections during the pandemic that has swept the world necessitates that we take several precautionary measures to protect ourselves and society,” Ibrahim said during a televised press conference.

He said all polling stations will observe health guidelines, with all voters and polling staff required to wear masks, and social distancing measures will be enforced.

Egypt reported 1,485 new cases of coronavirus on Friday bringing the total number of infections to 72,711, including 3,201 deaths.

The poll results will be announced on Aug. 19 in the official state gazette, Ibrahim said.