Big gatherings banned to control spread of coronavirus in Egypt – PM

Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly decided on Monday to suspend events in Egypt that include big gatherings until further notice due to mounting concerns over the threat of coronavirus.

The decision is part of the precautionary measures the government is adopting to control the spread of coronavirus, an Egyptian Cabinet statement read.

Following the prime minister’s decree, Egypt’s Culture Ministry announced suspending all artistic and cultural activities with large gatherings until further notice as well.

Egypt on Sunday reported the first fatality from the coronavirus after a 60-year-old German citizen died of the flu-like virus in Hurghada. The German tourist showed symptoms of a high fever when he arrived from Luxor to Hurghada, Khaled Mugahid, an adviser to Egypt’s Minister of Health sent in a statement. The patient later went to Hurghada General Hospital on Friday to receive medical care.

The flu-like virus, which emerged in China’s Wuhan in December 2019, has so far killed over 3,800 people, and infected over 110,000 others, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Most of the cases have so far been in China, although recent weeks have witnessed the emergence of major new clustres in other spots worldwide.

In Egypt, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reached 59 on Monday, including one death, according to the health ministry.