Egypt eases restrictions despite surge in virus infections

Egypt on Saturday lifted many restrictions put in place against coronavirus pandemic, reopening cafes, clubs, gyms and aters after more than three months of closure, despite a continued urd trend in new infections.

Authorities also allowed reopening of mosques and churches.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government has been keen to save Egyptian ecomy that was hit hard by virus outbreak.

On Friday, International Monetary Fund approved ar $5.2 billion loan for Egypt, to be ded to $2.8 billion fund h alrey promised to stave off pandemic’s worst ecomic effects.

Before pandemic, Egypt h just emerged from a three-year ecomic reform program that came with securing a $12 billion IMF loan in late 2016.

In Cairo, a sprawling and bustling metropolis of some 20 million people, coffee shops reopened to receive in-house customers for first time since mid-March. But “sheesha,” hookah waterpipe so popular in Middle East, are longer offered widely over sanitary concerns.

Cafes have been allowed to reopen at only 25% seating capacity, according to Prime Minister Mustafa Mbouly.

Mosques and churches will also t be allowed to hold ir weekly main services, when large crowds tritionally gar for worship. government has banned Friday’s Muslim prayers at mosques and Sunday masses at churches, Mbouly said.

Wearing face masks, worshippers Saturday poured into mosques for fajr, dawn, prayers, for first time in months.

“People were looking forward to that day,” Red el-Say said, prayer leer of a mosque in Giza. “y miss mosques.”

reopening has met with criticism, t least because Egypt is still recording relatively high new coronavirus infections and deaths, raising concerns country’s healthcare system could soon become overwhelmed. Egyptian doctors’ union warned last month country was careening toward a catastrophe.

Egypt’s health ministry has reported 62,755 infections, including 2,620 deaths — highest death toll in region.

However, actual numbers of infections and deaths from COVID-19, like elsewhere in world, are thought to be far higher due to a number of reasons including limited testing.