Egypt’s archaeological sites, museums, temples to be closed for sterilization on Mar.23-31

CAIRO – 22 March 2020: Egypt's Secretary-General of the supreme council of antiquities Mostafa Waziri announced that all Luxor’s archaeological sites will be closed from March 23 to March 31 to be sterilized to combat coronavirus.

The Egyptian state institutions and ministries are acting within the framework of a comprehensive strategy to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus nationwide.

This comes after President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi ordered allocating LE 100 billion ($6.4 billion), to fund an anti-coronavirus strategy and related precautionary measures.

This fund was allocated by the Finance Ministry from the state budget; it will be added as a reserve for an emergency plan that includes steps to stop any possible related repercussions during the coming period.

Also, the Cabinet ordered a temporary suspension of schools and universities, to help curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Cairo University took advantage of this temporary suspension. University Head Mohamed al-Khosht said in an interview with Egypt Today the student hostels will be fully sterilized, as part of the precautionary measures.

Khosht added that the university has a comprehensive plan to proceed with the educational curricula online.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly directed the suspension of all activities in cinemas and theaters as a precautionary measure that comes within the framework of the state's comprehensive plan to deal with the emerging Coronavirus.

"The decision is wise and we just have to abide by the instructions under the current circumstances to save the lives of citizens," Head of Actors Syndicate Ashraf Zaki.

"Certainly, this will cause huge losses, but the whole world isspendingbillions to confront the virus;it is an emergency that we hope will end soon," he added.

On his part, Producer Mohsen Alam El-Din, a member of the Egyptian Chamber of Film Industry, said, "We are committed to implementing the state’s instructions, and everyone must abide by these procedures because the whole world is going througha critical circumstance."