Zaki: We will not stop shooting Ramadan series because of Corona

CAIRO – 16 March 2020: The head of the Actors’ syndicate Ashraf Zaki announced that Egyptian actors will not stop shooting their upcoming Ramadan series because of coronavirus.

According to Zaki most of the series are about to finish shooting and the syndicate is in contact with the drama makers to help them, stressing that the Ramadan drama season is very important for Egypt's artists.

The Actors Syndicate issued a statement to take the necessary procedures to prevent coronavirus outbreak; the statement stipulated the following points:

1- Postponing the scenes that require the presence of large groups of actors until the officials say such scenes pose no danger.

2- Avoid traveling to remote shooting locations in large numbers.

3- Sticking to all the preventive procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, such as sterilizing hands with alcohol disinfectants and drinking an adequate amount of water.

4- Sterilizing shooting locations and studios by the methods approved by the Egyptian Ministry of Health.

"The Egyptian state institutions and ministries are acting within the framework of a comprehensive strategy to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus nationwide," presidential spokesman Bassam Radi told FM 95 on Monday.

This comes a day after President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi ordered allocating LE 100 billion ($6.4 billion), to fund an anti-coronavirus strategy and related precautionary measures.

"This fund was allocated by the Finance Ministry from the state budget," Radi explained, adding that it will be added as a reserve for an emergency plan that includes steps to stop any possible related repercussions during the next period.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli on Saturday, Sisi also ordered a temporary suspension of schools and universities, to help curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Cairo University took advantage of this temporary suspension. University Head Mohamed al-Khosht said in an interview with Egypt Today the hostels will be fully sterilized, as part of the precautionary measures.

Khosht added that the university has a comprehensive plan to proceed with the educational curricula online during the 15-day suspension.

As for schools, the Health Ministry on Sunday said a sterilization process will start at all schools nationwide starting Friday.

The Health Ministry earlier stated it recorded 16 new coronavirus cases, 15 of whom were in direct contact with previously confirmed patients, bringing the total number of coronavirus patients in Egypt to 126.

"The ministry also released five cases from quarantine after they received proper medical care and tested negative for the virus, in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization," the ministry spokesman said, adding that the total number of those recovering from the new virus has reached 26 cases.