Egyptians have spent less time in shopping, recreation and transportation in March 2020 because of the coronavirus outbreak, adopting social distancing guidelines, according to Google’s COVID-19 Mobility Changes report. Google released late March its special coronavirus report showing how people around the globe responded to the coronavirus outbreak based on statistics from Google Maps around the globe. According to figures released by Google, Egyptians spent 50 percent less time in places like malls and restaurants in March than in February. Egyptians spent also 52 percent less time in transit stations like metro stations, bus stations and train stations in March than in February. In mid-March, the Egyptian government imposed a partial curfew from 7pm to 6am. It also closed public parks and museums as well as other recreational sites where the public gathered. Egyptians spent 35 percent less time in their work in March compared to February, while they spent 25 percent less time in groceries in March than in February. They also spent 40 percent less time in parks in March than in February. Google stated that Egyptians spent 15 percent more time in their homes in March than in February. According to the latest numbers released by the Egypt’s Ministry of Health, total coronavirus cases in the country has reached 1,070, including 71 dead.

The number of coronavirus cases in Egypt has increased to 850 on Thursday; however, the daily increase rate is “not alarming,” Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a televised statement. Compared to the Egyptian population of 100 million people, the number of cases is not high, and Egypt is still in the middle phase of the outbreak and has not reached the dangerous, third phase, Madbouly said. The average daily infection rate was between 30 and 40 cases last week, and this week it has been between 50 and 60, the prime minister said. It is expected that it will range from 60 to 70 cases a day next week. According to the prime minister, these rates are not alarming as Egypt is still seeing a natural gradual curve in the spread of the virus. “What [would be] alarming [would be] the registration of hundreds of cases daily. We do not want to reach this stage,” Madbouly said. The prime minister urged people not to underestimate the situation and to commit to the precautionary measures in place. Madbouly also said that the capabilities of the health ministry exceeds the requirements of the current number of cases. The health ministry has been coordinating its efforts with university hospitals and making a plan to start integrating some of them to help in the fight against the coronavirus. The aim of the government, according to Madbouly, is to have a comprehensive health system that encompasses all governorates and provides needed medical services to Egyptian citizens. The government is looking into providing workplaces like factories and construction sites, among others, with up to 1,000 vehicles that can function as clinics, in an initiative from Health Minister Hala Zayed, the prime minister said. Mobile clinics can provide workers with necessary medical services and help in taking the necessary rapid measures if any coronavirus cases are detected. Madbouly also addressed the efforts exerted by the state to repatriate Egyptians stranded abroad by flight suspensions. The premier said that there the government will temporarily stop returning citizens from abroad after already expatriating those who were stranded. “A stranded person is someone who had to leave Egypt either for a work mission, training course, for medical treatment or for tourism,” the prime minister said. “These are the kinds of people who are considered stuck, as they don t have residence in the country they are in and they have to return to Egypt,” he added. Madbouly said that, at first, the government performed medical check-ups and tests on returnees at airports and asked them to self-isolate for 14 days. The government discovered, however, that many people have not been committing to self-isolation, and that led to an outbreak in some areas. Since people were not committed, the government has decided to put returnees from abroad in compulsory quarantine in hotels at state expense.

Misr Spinning and Weaving Company in the Nile Delta city of Al-Mahalla resumed operations on Wednesday with reduced workforce, after a 10-day hiatus over coronavirus fears, a circular by the company said. The company, Egypt’s largest textile factory, had put its staff on furlough from March 23 and asked them to go on self-isolation at home after the detection of some coronavirus cases in the city. In a circular dated Tuesday, the state company said work will resume with morning shifts only until mid-April. Workers with chronic diseases, those residing in other govenorates and pregnant women are also furloughed. All cafeterias at the company were ordered to close and all offices and restrooms are to be sanitized. Established in 1927, the Misr Spinning and Weaving Company, is the largest in Africa and the Middle East with over 16,500 workers, the company’s website said. It is affiliated to the Holding Company for Spinning and Weaving, which belongs to the Ministry of Public Business Sector. While resuming work, the company is granting exceptional paid leave to workers from the Al-Hayatem village, where several coronavirus cases have been detected and hundreds have been isolated. The company s Chairman Ashraf Ezzat called on the workers to exercise caution in all their daily dealings in order to avoid infection with the coronavirus, the circular said. Egypt has registerd a total of 710 coronavirus cases and 46 deaths.