Coronavirus: 28 cruise ships in Upper Egypt sterilized: Ministry

CAIRO – 27 March 2020: As many as 28 cruise ships in Upper Egypt’s Aswan were cleaned and sterilized throughout the current week, the deputy health minister in the city said, as Egypt has so far reported almost 500 coronavirus cases and 24 deaths.

Dozens of positive cases were reported on board a Nile cruiser earlier in March in Aswan, as infection started with a Taiwanese-American tourist.

In remarks to Egypt Today, Deputy Health Minister in Aswan Ehab Hanafi said a number of measures were taken to protect citizens and workers in tourism sectors from the novel coronavirus. He also noted that tourist attractions, including temples, museums and hotels have been the focus of these efforts.

Concerning the governorates of Luxor, Aswan and South Sinai, known to be among the major tourist attractions in Egypt, Health Minister Hala Zayed earlier in March said some precautionary measures were taken, including banning workers in all tourist facilities from leaving these governorates for 14 days and putting them in quarantine.

The procedures in the three governorates will also include cleaning and sterilizing all tourist facilities as well as governmental and non-governmental facilities, Zayed said, adding that they will be unable to receive any tourists for 14 days starting from the date when the last tourist leaves.

The tourist ships also underwent precautionary measures, Zayed said, including testing all on board for the new virus, including visitors as well as the staff. Those who tested positive were quarantined. Concerning Nile cruisers, all those on board were put in quarantine for 14 days.

Egypt report 39 new coronavirus cases

CAIRO - 26 March 2020: Egypt’s Health Ministry announced Thursday that 39 new cases have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections in Egypt to 495.