Giza Zoo to receive visitors Monday, after being closed for 6 months

CAIRO – 23 August 2020: The Central Administration of Zoos, affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, announced the opening of all zoos and the Aquarium on Monday after being closed for nearly 6 months due to the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Procedures and measures to combat the coronavirus and the rules of the African Union of Zoos are all being strictly applied; no more than 3,000 visitors are allowed inside the Giza Zoo.

 

Mohamed Rajaei, head of the central administration of zoos, said that all measures have been taken to open zoos, especially the Giza Zoo, which is the largest park, whether in terms of area or number of animals.The procedures for entering the park include wearing masks and measuring the temperatures of visitors and workers.

 

The head of zoos added that social distancing measures were taken into account duringvisits to the zoo, with tight security over the various places in the zoo. He stressed that personal disinfectants are provided for workers,to protect visitors and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Maha Saber, director of the Giza Zoo, said that these rules allow visitors to enjoy watching new animals inside the park.

 

Egypt has reported 89 new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases on Saturday, the lowest since April 11, and down from 1,774 cases on June 19, the country’s highest daily count, according to Egyptian Health Ministry’s figures.

 

The number of deaths, however, remains high for the decreasing number of new cases, as the Health Ministry has reported 12 deaths, given that the ministry has reported less than 12 deaths on May 22 when the cases rose to 783.

 

After Saturday’s figures, the total number of confirmed cases rose to 97,237, amid calls by the president on citizens to take preventive measures, in order for the country to hit zero new cases soon, while the total number of deaths rose to 5,243.

 

As many as 800 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 65,118, the ministry said.

 

Concerning the state’s efforts in dealing with the new coronavirus (COVID-19), President Abdel Fattah El Sisi earlier said that the country has achieved great success in facing the COVID-19 crisis, saying “the crisis was not severe, and the rates [of infection] were improved.”

 

He called upon the people to be pay attention to avoid the infection, in order to reach a zero infection nationwide.

 

“We must realize that there will be no complacency in dealing with the virus, because this will reflect on society [negatively]. Therefore, the society as citizens, agencies and the state must […] keep public health not affected […], especially in light of opening the schools in winter,” President Sisi said.

 

Prime Minster Mustafa Madbouly said that the country is seeking to reach zero-coronavirus cases in the coming period.

 

He added during a Wednesday Cabinet meeting that all precautionary measures should be taken including wearing facemasks, using sterilizers along with regular temperature measurement.

 

He explained that all these measures are necessary to keep low curve of the infections.