A flight carrying 240 Egyptians stranded in Washington arrived on Monday at Marsa Alam International Airport.
The exceptional flight was part of state efforts to repatriate Egyptians stranded abroad after international flights were suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Dr Tamer Marei, a Ministry of Health deputy for the Red Sea governorate, said all returnees will be quarantined for 14 days at specially designated hotels.
Marei added that the required daily medical examinations, including body temperature measurements, will be carried out in addition to the disinfection and sterilisation of quarantine hotels.
A further four exceptional flights will be operated on Monday to repatriate Egyptians stranded in Saudi Arabia.
On Sunday, Minister of Health Hala Zayed said youth centres and university dormitories across the country have received 6,000 repatriated Egyptians. The facilities also received a further 2,800 coronavirus cases with minor symptoms.
University dormitories and youth centres across Egypt have been redesignated to serve as quarantine facilities for coronavirus cases with minor symptoms. The will also serve some Egyptians repatriated from abroad and who will not be quarantined in hotels.
Last week, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the number of repatriated Egyptians is expected to reach 16,000 in the current period.
Egypt has undertaken major efforts to repatriate its citizens stranded worldwide due to the suspension of international flights. It has sent flights to over 30 countries including the US, Canada, France, Germany, England, Spain, Ukraine, and Russia.
All returnees are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine period in either university dormitories or hotels in the Red Sea city of Marsa Alam. The move to quarantine is to ensure there are no coronavirus cases among the returnees.
