Egyptian Armed Forces have distributed face masks for free to citizens in public spaces on Sunday upon instructions of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, according to a military spokesperson.
The free face masks were given out at metro stations, main squares, and public transport stations, the statement added.
The Armed Forces have launched five new face masks production lines with a daily capacity of 100,000 units. Last week, Al-Sisi directed the army to distribute face masks for free to counter the further spread of the coronavirus.
Egypt is striving to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic as the virus has already spread across 24 governorates. The Ministry of Health has reported Sunday 126 new coronavirus cases and 13 deaths, raising the country’s total cases to 2,065 and 159 deaths. While 447 cases have recovered.
Last week, the government extended the night-time curfew until 23 April, but shortened the curfew time to start from 20:00 instead of 19:00 to avoid overcrowding on public transport. The suspensions of international flights, schools, and universities will also continue until 23 April.
The disease has found its way among doctors and nurses, who are on the frontline against the disease and working in difficult circumstances. Dozens of coronavirus infections have been reported at several hospitals across the country, with some hospitals halting work as a result. The Medical Syndicate said on Saturday that three doctors have died of the coronavirus in Egypt, with 43 others testing positive.
Several villages and hundreds of families have been quarantined in several governorates after coronavirus infections were detected.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Manpower announced on Sunday the third death of an Egyptian citizen in Saudi Arabia from coronavirus. The ministry added that the victim’s wife and daughter also tested positive for the virus.
The ministry added in a statement that the victim was buried in Buraydah, Al-Qassim, with his wife and the daughter placed into quarantine. Saudi Arabia has reported 4,033 infections and 52 deaths so far.
