Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has announced that the nationwide night-time curfew will be extended to 23 April, and will instead last be from 20:00 to 6:00. Other precautionary measures that have been taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) will also be extended until 23 April. Also affected by the extension will be the continued suspensions of flights, schools and universities, also until April 23, Madbouly added. Madbouly said the curfew will start at 20:00 instead of the previous 19:00, to ease crowds on transportation services. He urged citizens to commit to state measures to avoid a surge in coronavirus infections. He also announced a 20% cut in ministerial wages for a three month period, with the sums to be allocated to supporting irregular employment and the Tahya Misr Fund. Madbouly called on Egyptians to avoid overcrowding at upcoming religious celebrations, notably Easter and Ramadan. He also said that Egypt would not have been able to face the economic repercussions of the coronavirus without the reforms that the country has undertaken. The night-time curfew was originally announced on 24 March, with all public and private transportation suspended during the curfew period to curb the spread of coronavirus. The government also ordered the full closure of all shopping malls, cafes, casinos, and nightclubs, with restaurants only able to run through delivery services. The decision excludes pharmacies, bakeries, and grocery stores.
