Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced Sunday that the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday will see more restrictions in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Beginning Sunday, May 24 (Eid al-Fitr holiday) to Friday, May 29 Madbouly outlined that all shops, restaurants, places that provide entertainment services and public beaches will be closed and a curfew will begin from five pm until six am.
All public transportation between governorates will freeze during this period.
Gatherings during Eid al-Fitr may hasten the spread of the virus, and so measures are being put in place to curb the outbreak.
After May 29, Madbouly said that the curfew will start from eight pm until six am.
Precautionary measures to coexist with the coronavirus will remain in place even after life returns to normal, he added, the most important of which is wearing face masks in public.
Uber cars, taxis and microbuses have been excluded from a recent decision to halt all mass transportation on roads nationwide during curfew hours on Eid al-Fitr holiday, May 24, Cabinet spokesperson Nader Saad also announced on Sunday.
The curfew is currently in effect from nine pm to six am, after having been shortened by one hour on April 23.
Al-Azhar’s Senior Scholar Authority on Sunday decreed that, owing to the coronavirus pandemic, all Muslims must perform the Eid al-Fitr prayers at home either alone or with their families.
Egypt announced on Sunday 491 new coronavirus cases and 20 additional deaths, bringing the total number of cases confirmed so far to 11,719 in the country, while 612 people have died from the virus in Egypt.
