Coronavirus: Egypt shuts hospitals, quarantines villages to slow spread
March 29, 2020, 3:37 pm

Coronavirus: Egypt shuts hospitals, quarantines villages to slow spread

A woman wearing a protective health mask has her body temperature measured at on a touristic river boat in Egypt's southern city of Luxor on March 8, 2020. (AFP)

Egypt has shuttered several hospitals and quarantined villages in an attempt to halt the rising infection rate of new coronavirus in the most populous Arab state. Coronavirus: Egypt

A Cairo hospital was closed for sterilization late Saturday after two COVID-19 cases were confirmed.

An official at Al-Salam hospital told AFP on Sunday: “We are currently disinfecting the hospital for the safety of everyone concerned. One patient had come in tested positive and a member of our staff was infected after”.

He said no date was yet set for re-opening the facility.

Other hospitals have also been closed in the last week after recording cases of the virus, including the Alexandria University Hospital and Al-Shorouk hospital in Cairo.

Health ministry spokesperson Khaled Megahed also announced that villages in up to 10 governorates have been quarantined.

“We have several infections from the same source... in what we call local transmission. Before it spreads to become a community transmission, we undertake this precautionary measure of quarantining the entire village... for 14 days,” he said on a widely watched talk-show with popular host Lamees al-Hadidi on Saturday.

Egyptian doctors on social media have urged people to stay home to stem the rate of transmissions through social interactions.

The health ministry has reported 576 COVID-19 cases, including 36 deaths. Coronavirus: Egypt

Egypt imposed a night-time curfew last week for two weeks in a bid to contain the growing contagion, which has caused over 30,000 deaths globally.

Penalties for violators include a fine of up to 4,000 Egyptian pounds (around $250) and even jail time. Flights have been grounded until 15 April. levant

source: AFP levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”