Hookahs banned at Cairo’s cafes to combat Covid-19

CAIRO – 17 March 2020: Cairo governor, major general Khaled Abdel Aal, decided Monday to ban hookah’s service at all cafes and restaurants located in the capital city of Cairo, adding that any café violates the decision will be prone to immediate shutdown.

The governor gave his directions to his deputies and head of neighborhoods on coordinating with security apparatuses to inspect the decision’s entry into force to protect citizens’ safety.

The decision is part of the precautionary measures taken by the governorate as per the government’s directions on banning gatherings and risky habits to preserve public health.

As per the government’s directions, the governorate had banned all the Cairo's weekly markets to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The security apparatus is periodically inspecting neighbors to be certain of the absence of such markets to avoid gatherings. Governor Abdel Aal asserted that the government is working round the clock to execute those precautionary measures to reduce the chances of infection among citizens.

The World Health Organization has assured that hookah transfers coronavirus, and that tobacco negatively affects immunity, reducing the body’s ability to combat the virus.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health announced earlier on Monday the death toll of Coronavirus (Covid-19) rose to 4 people after recording two new deaths, adding that new 40 people were tested positive for the disease in 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected cases to 166 so far, said Ministry Spokesperson Khaled Megahed in a statement on Monday.