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Egypt to Impose Strict Lockdown Measures to Control COVID-19

Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)
Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)
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Egypt to Impose Strict Lockdown Measures to Control COVID-19

Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)
Egyptian security man ensuring the implementation of coronavirus measures (AP)

The Egyptian authorities will start implementing Sunday new strict measures to help limit the spread of new coronavirus during Eid al-Fitr until the end of the week, which was announced an official holiday for both private and public sectors.

The new measures include a nationwide curfew between 5 pm and 6 am, halting all public transportation between Egypt’s governorates, as well as closing all shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, and public beaches.

The government is trying to reduce movement hours on Eid to avoid any possible crowds or gatherings.

Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Youssry Shaarawy discussed with the governors the preparations for Eid al-Fitr, stressing authorities should monitor the implementation of the decisions of the government regarding the prevention of gatherings.

Shaarawy told local officials that executive bodies must coordinate with security units to implement decisions preventing the spread of the coronavirus. He stressed that all crowding must be banned especially in the sidewalks of the coastal cities.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry announced that over 41,000 persons, including 40 cafes and about 14 thousand cars, motorcycles, and vehicles owners have violated lockdown measures over the past week.

In turn, Egypt’s Higher Education Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar announced that university hospitals will be at their maximum readiness at all levels during the holiday to receive any possible cases.

He also announced that emergency and intensive care units will be fully equipped, as doctors and medical staff on call had been summoned to ensure the utmost readiness.

Abdel-Ghaffar stressed the need to ensure the availability of medicines, supplies, medical equipment, and the necessary quantities of blood bags and its derivatives in all university hospitals.

On Saturday, the health ministry reported 727 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 16,513.

The total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 735 nationwide, after announcing 28 deaths, while 254 Egyptians have fully recovered, with the total number of recoveries from the virus rising to 4,628.

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Lebanese Prime Minister: No Turning Back on State Decision to Control All Arms

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
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Lebanese Prime Minister: No Turning Back on State Decision to Control All Arms

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized on Friday that Lebanon has succeeded at making a new promising start despite all the challenges facing the process of reform and restoring confidence in the state.

He said the government has a task of restoring the confidence of its people, Arab brethrens, its friends, and the whole world in Lebanon as a state.

Salam made his remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat before heading to Baghdad leading a delegation of officials to take part in the Arab summit. He will “convey a message of promise and hope” about Lebanon to the Arab leaders and their people, he said, expressing deep trust in the capability to make remarkable achievements.

On the message he plans to convey at the Arab summit, Salam said he and the accompanying delegation want to assure that Lebanon has returned to the Arab fold. Lebanon is relentlessly working to “return to the Arab and international map...We also want the Arab summit to help Lebanon in pressuring Israel to withdraw from the entire Lebanese territories” it is occupying.

Salam stressed that Hezbollah lawmakers have agreed to the ministerial statement - based on which the government garnered the parliament’s confidence- which clearly states that weapons are restricted to the state’s authority. “The government is working on achieving this goal”, he said.

The Prime Minister pointed to the army’s efforts in that regard. He said the military has deployed in South Lebanon and continues to dismantle military infrastructures and intensifies measures to control the border with Syria in order stop all kinds of smuggling, not to mention the security measures it has taken at the country’s airport.

Salam emphasized that there will be no turning back in the decision to limit weapons to the state’s control.

On Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Salam said that there is a major turning point happening in the region and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has succeeded at drawing itself a major player in international relations.