Egypt says viral bats video is outdated, heritage site already treated
Egypt said on Wednesday that a widely shared video showing bats inside the historic Sultan al-Zahir Barquq complex in Cairo was outdated and that the monument had already been cleaned, disinfected, and treated to prevent the animals from returning.
In a statement, the Cabinet’s media centre, citing the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, said the bats had previously been removed from the Mamluk-era monument on Cairo’s historic Al-Mu’izz Street, where cleaning, disinfection, and sterilisation works were subsequently carried out.
The ministry said the complex is regularly sanitised by specialists from the Supreme Council of Antiquities’ Conservation and Projects Sector as part of routine maintenance.
Authorities are also implementing measures to prevent bats from re-entering the monument, including installing LED lighting, specialised netting, and ultrasonic bat deterrent devices, the ministry said.
The Cabinet urged the public to rely on official sources for accurate information and avoid sharing outdated or misleading content circulating on social media.
The statement included recent photographs showing the monument’s current condition.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English