Present perfect simple/continuous

[Will17]

Hello,

Is there a difference in meaning between these two sentences?

-Many people have left Egypt since last week.

-Many people have been leaving Egypt since last week.

Thank you
W

[Khosro]

Hello,

Is there a difference in meaning between these two sentences?

-Many people have left Egypt since last week.

-Many people have been leaving Egypt since last week.

Thank you
W

Yes, there is a difference.
Generally speaking there are some differences between "present perfect simple"/"present perfect continious" But in this particular case I think that:

1- The second sentence conveys the feeling that still there are people who are leaving Egypt. It is a process that has begun since last week and still continues.

2- Our interest in the second sentence is the process itself. In the first sentence we are not much interested in the process itself But in the results.

3- I'd rather ask:"How long have the people been leaving Egypt?"
but:"How many people have left Egypt since last week?"
--------------------------------------------------------------

You know that tourists are still leaving Egypt and it's not finished yet. So if I were a correspondent of a news agency I would say:"Many tourists have been leaving Egypt since last week"

But if I wanted to give a figure I would say:
"one million tourists have left Egypt since last week". Just because now the economic consequences is important.