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Egypt Adopts Flexible Mechanism at Schools amid COVID-19 Outbreak

High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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Egypt Adopts Flexible Mechanism at Schools amid COVID-19 Outbreak

High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
High school students wearing protective masks wait in line during the first day of final exams, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt June 21, 2020. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Egypt's Ministry of Education has adopted a flexible mechanism at schools amid mounting concerns regarding the novel coronavirus, only days before the beginning of the new academic year in the country.

Egyptian Deputy Minister of Education for Teacher Affairs said on Sunday that those in charge are allowed to make the necessary changes for the academic year depending on the conditions of every governorate, however, without affecting the course of the curriculum.

Dr. Reda Hegazy aksi stressed commitment to the handbook issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Education. The handbook includes all precautionary measures that have to be applied to protect students during the academic year 2020-2021. The Ministry of Education also ordered the closure of any educational institution that registers COVID-19 cases.

The official underscored that cooperation among everyone is essential to maintain students’ health, noting that the ultimate goal is to guarantee a successful educational year amidst these exceptional conditions.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population announced that 45 recovered from the virus and were discharged from the hospital after receiving needed medical care.

Meanwhile, up to 129 new cases were confirmed while 12 deaths were recorded.

The new number brought the caseload of COVID-19 cases in Egypt on Sunday to 104,516, including 97,688 recoveries and 6,052 deaths.

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European Aspides to Protect Rescue Operation of Sounion Tanker

Fires continue on deck of Greek oil tanker Sounion due to Houthi attacks (Aspides)
Fires continue on deck of Greek oil tanker Sounion due to Houthi attacks (Aspides)
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European Aspides to Protect Rescue Operation of Sounion Tanker

Fires continue on deck of Greek oil tanker Sounion due to Houthi attacks (Aspides)
Fires continue on deck of Greek oil tanker Sounion due to Houthi attacks (Aspides)

The European mission to protect navigation in the Red Sea, known as Aspides, has announced that its forces are on high alert to safeguard the vessels involved in the rescue operation for the Greek oil tanker Sounion, which has been ablaze since Aug. 23 due to attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis.

In a statement issued on Friday, the European mission, which began operations in the Red Sea in mid-February, reported that the Sounion remains on fire following the attack but is currently anchored and not drifting. There are no indications of oil leakage from the main cargo hold, it added.

Despite a failed rescue attempt about two weeks ago, the statement highlighted the importance of close cooperation between public and private organizations to avert an environmental disaster.

The statement stressed that Aspides is prepared to facilitate a new rescue operation in the coming days by protecting commercially chartered vessels that will tow the tanker to a safe location.

The Houthi militias, backed by Iran, launched a series of attacks on the tanker on Aug. 21, which led to engine failure and the vessel running aground in the Red Sea between Yemen and Eritrea.

A French frigate from the European mission then evacuated the 29-member crew to Djibouti, according to Djiboutian authorities. The militias subsequently boarded the tanker, which holds one million barrels of crude oil, rigged it with explosives, and detonated them, causing fires in at least five locations.

As concerns grow over a potential major environmental disaster if the Sounion explodes or sinks in the Red Sea, the Houthi group has agreed to a new rescue attempt following approval from Iran, based on European demands. Since then, the rescue company has been unable to carry out the mission, and discussions are now focused on a new attempt to tow the tanker to safety.

Maritime sources told Reuters that experts will resume the risky rescue operation this week. The companies initially involved in towing the 274.2-meter-long tanker had halted the process, deeming it unsafe. Officials told Reuters that the towing operation will be highly sensitive due to the tanker being fully loaded, and any spill could be the largest of its kind in recorded history, potentially causing an environmental catastrophe in a highly dangerous area.