Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi extended on Tuesday the nationwide state of emergency for another three months, citing “dangerous” health and security conditions in the country.
"Given the serious health and security situation ... the state of emergency has been declared across the country for three months starting Tuesday, April 28," said a presidential decree.
Egypt has been under a state of emergency since April 2017 when twin church bombings in Alexandria claimed by ISIS affiliates killed dozens of people.
The Health Ministry confirmed 20 more fatalities from COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the national death toll to 337. The number of cases stands at 4,782, along with 1,236 recoveries.
Last week, the government announced that the curfew hours will be shortened during Ramadan month and will start at nine p.m. instead of eight p.m., till six a.m. It also announced a number of coronavirus precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli made an inspection tour to a number of development projects in Cairo, hinting that Egypt must “adapt” to living with coronavirus as part of precautionary measures.
Madbouli was accompanied by ministers of antiquities and tourism, local development and housing, and Cairo governor, among others.
The officials visited the construction sites of projects within the plans for urban expansion, and they inspected buildings that were illegally built during the curfew implemented to confront the coronavirus.
Speaking on the sideline of the tour, Madbouli said that economic development must continue, adding that a country like Egypt must continue to operate while taking precautionary measures to adapt to the emerging coronavirus.
He stressed that authorities will not allow random construction in this way, especially with highly-populated cities like Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria.
Madbouli also toured and inspected development project in Tahrir Square, as well as projects of Ain el-Sira groundwater lake and surrounding areas in Old Cairo.
He directed officials to increase works and swiftly complete the plans with the adoption of all preventive measures to counter the outbreak of the coronavirus.
In related news, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities followed up the preparations for the inauguration ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in 2021. The supervising committee held its meeting to address issues of the inauguration and measures set to be taken to organize the parade.
Earlier this month, the President postponed the launch of the Museum due to the coronavirus outbreak.
