Egypt cancels New Year celebrations, shuts event halls

CAIRO: Egypt has canceled all New Year celebrations and will shut down any facility organizing festivities in an attempt to control the high number of new coronavirus cases. 

The government is also banning weddings, funerals and other gatherings, and fining violators.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told a meeting of the Supreme Committee for the Management of the Coronavirus Crisis that the past few days had witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of new cases, which demanded the meeting be convened to discuss how to limit the spread of the virus.

Cabinet spokesman Nader Saad said the meeting discussed a number of issues. It ensured the need to cancel all New Year celebrations and to take measures to close any facility that organized celebrations and to stop any activities, celebrations or festivals during the coming period.

It was also decided to completely close event halls and stress to hotels that weddings should only be hosted in open spaces, he added.

There has been a drop in tourism because of fresh coronavirus waves and European lockdowns, and a 80 percent decline in the hotel occupancy rate compared to the same period last year, according to officials from the Egyptian Chamber of Tourism.

Hotel occupancy decreased in December compared to the same period last year to around 15 percent in Cairo, 20 percent in Giza, 8 percent in Luxor and Aswan, and 15-20 percent in Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada, according to tourism officials.

Madbouly said that violators of COVID-19 guidelines should be penalized immediately, starting from Jan. 3.

People who do not follow measures and do not wear a facemask will get a fine of EGP50 ($3.18) and, in the event of a failure to pay, the violator will be referred to prosecution bodies for further action to be taken.

The prime minister also ordered that restaurants and cafes commit to only taking in 50 percent of their capacity, intensifying campaigns in the most affected governorates.

Violators will be fined EGP4,000 and the facility will be closed for a week, provided that the collection of fines begins on Jan. 3. If the violation is repeated the closing period doubles.

Event halls violating the newly issued decisions will see their officials being referred for investigation if the venue is affiliated with the state, and being fined if affiliated to an association. Measures will be taken against the board of directors of the association.

During the meeting, it was also emphasized that the largest number of oxygen cylinders be secured for those needing them, and to confirm the availability of all medicines for coronavirus treatment protocols and medical supplies in all hospitals and private pharmacies.

It was also requested that citizens not hoard medicine.

The meeting heard that the Egyptian Drug Authority was taking measures to register different types of coronavirus vaccines that have been announced internationally. The companies producing these vaccines will be contracted according to the required quantities once this registration is complete.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior will prepare the vaccination process.