Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Thursday chaired a Cabinet video conference meeting to discuss various topics, most notably decisions regarding the country’s curfew hours.
The meeting’s topics included Egypt’s plan to confront the spread of the coronavirus in the coming period and its position on curfew hours during the remainder of the month of Ramadan.
Madbouly has previously reduced curfew hours on April 23, to start at 9 pm instead of 8 pm.
In a televised speech made after the cabinet meeting, Madbouly added that shops and commercial centers will be open throughout the week until 5 pm.
Cabinet Spokesperson Nader Saad on Wednesday said that Madbouly will announce on Thursday the Cabinet’s position on the curfew for the remaining two weeks of the month of Ramadan.
Saad added that the Coronavirus Crisis Management Committee has met and submitted its recommendations to the Cabinet, which will meet on Thursday to announce the result of its deliberations.
Saad said that he expects the status quo to remain unchanged through the end of Ramadan, adding that the Cabinet will have a reevaluate the situation before the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Saad denied the possibility of reopening restaurants, cafes and clubs at full capacity during the remainder of Ramadan, stressing that the Cabinet does not take any decision before studying it well.
Student exams, he added, will be conducted with the utmost precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
