Pics: Youth in Egyptian cities launch sterilization campaigns in streets

CAIRO – 22 March 2020: Youth in many cities nationwide have organized initiatives to help clean and sterilize streets and facilities, to face the spread of the novel coronavirus, as Egypt has so far confirmed the infection of 294 cases and the death of ten.

In Hurghada, one of the major tourist destinations in the eastern Red Sea governorate, the youth launched a campaign to place sanitizers in streets in order for citizens to sterilize the automated teller machines (ATMs) and door knobs, Ahmed Sayed, one of the participants in the initiative, told Egypt Today.

He added that they urged the youth to take part in the efforts to curb coronavirus spread, along with the government, affirming that many people have already participated in the initiative.

In the city of Ras Gharib, Amr Hammadi, one of the participants, said an initiative launched by a group of youths has provided digital devices to monitor the temperature of citizens on the streets and public transportation. They also provided hygiene tools as well as gloves and masks.

In Minya governorate, in Upper Egypt, a group of youth volunteered to clean and sterilize mosques, churches and government departments at their personal expense. They also educated citizens to take preventive measures to preserve their own health and the safety of their children.

This comes while all mosques and Islamic places of worship across Egypt were closed for two weeks starting from March 21st, to curb the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), announced the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf [Endowment] on Saturday.

Nine new coronavirus cases were detected on Saturday, all of them are Egyptians, who were in contact with positive cases, the Health Ministry said.

Two more deaths were confirmed; raising the total number to 10.

The new fatalities were a 68-year-old Egyptian woman and a 75-year-old man. Both of them are from Giza governorate.

Up to 41 coronavirus patients have totally recovered so far, the ministry spokesman said.