Coronavirus: Egypt implements nighttime curfew for Ramadan

Egypt will set a nighttime curfew for the duration of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, to combat the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Thursday.

The curfew will start at 9 p.m. instead of the previous 8 p.m. and run until 6 a.m., he told a televised news conference.

Egypt has reported 250 deaths from COVID-19 and some 3,300 cases, according to the World Health Organization.

A member of medical team sprays disinfectant as a precautionary move amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak at the underground in Cairo, Egypt March 22, 2020. (Reuters)

Fast-breaking is around 6:30 p.m., allowing families to gather at home. Communal activities and mass prayers have been banned this Ramadan.

Madbouly also said some restrictions were being eased, such as allowing shops and restaurants to deliver food. But authorities were ready to reimpose curbs if infections began to exceed predictions.

The government will review the measures in two weeks to decide whether to keep them in place, he said.

Egypt in March closed airports and hotels, among other measures, to counter the spread of the virus.

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