Results of COVID-19 precaution measures in Egypt are reassuring: Sisi

CAIRO – 31 March 2020: "The so-far achieved results of the precautionary measures to confront coronavirus (COVID-19) spread in Egypt are good and reassuring," President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said Tuesday.

Sisi added in a tweet that these results indicate the seriousness and unity of the state’s institutions and citizens to combat the COVID-19 crises.

“Therefore, I urge all of you to continue following and implementing these measures in order for all of us to go through this crisis and preserve the safety of our home and people,” Sisi stated.

علي ضوء متابعتي علي مدار الساعة لكافة الجهود و الإجراءات المتبعة لمواجهة إنتشار ڤيروس "الكورونا"...أجد أن ما تحقق حتي الآن جيد و يدعو للاطمئنان و هذا وإن دل فهو يدل علي جدية و تكاتف كافة أجهزة الدولة و المواطنين ..١/٢

— Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) March 31, 2020

In a ministerial meeting on Monday, Sisi directed the government to provide the basic food commodities and increase the strategic food reserves to meet people’s demands across the country amid the strict measures taken by the government to curb the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Presidential spokesperson Bassam Radi added that Sisi also affirmed the necessity of controlling the local markets to prevent monopoly practices, especially ahead of the Holy Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast from dusk to dawn worldwide.

Since mid-March, the Egyptian government has taken gradual steps in dealing with the coronavirus spread, starting with suspending schools and universities. It also suspended the international flights to mid-April.

Furthermore, a partial curfew was imposed, while all restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, casinos, night clubs, bars, shopping centers (malls), and other local shops shut down completely until April 14, 2020.

On Monday, Egypt’s Ministry of Health announced recording new 47 coronavirus cases raising total number of COVID-19 patients in Egypt to 656. Out of the 196 COVID-19 cases, whose their tests converted from positive to negative, 150 were discharged from the isolation hospital.