Egypt to determine Ramadan curfew hours during coronavirus later this week

The Egyptian cabinet’s media advisor Hany Younes said the government’s coronavirus crisis management committee will convene by the end of the week to determine the curfew measures during the month of Ramadan, which is set to begin on Friday.

In TV comments late on Monday, Younes dismissed reports that the government had issued a decision changing curfew hours to start at 4pm instead of 8pm, Ahram Online reported on Tuesday.

The curfew currently runs from 8pm to 6am.

The country’s nighttime curfew, first imposed 25 March, was initially set to end on 23 April, but cabinet spokesman Nader Saad has said that the curfew is likely to be extended into Ramadan.

The Muslim holy month is normally a time of evening social and religious gatherings after the fast is broken at sunset.

Egypt reported its highest daily increase in coronavirus cases yet on Monday with 189 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3,333, the health ministry said.

The death toll now stands at 250, with 11 new fatalities recorded on Monday, the ministry added.