Egypt will shut down malls, restaurants, coffee shops and nightclubs overnight as of Thursday 19 March through 31 March, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the cabinet said in a statement.

“All restaurants, coffee shops, casinos, nightclubs, bars and malls across the country will be closed from 7pm to 6am through 31 March,” the statement read.

Pharmacies and supermarkets, including those inside malls, bakeries, home delivery services, and grocery shops will not be affected by the decision, the statement added.

The decision, however, applies to shops that sell commercial goods or provide food, services or entertainment and to street food trucks, the cabinet said.

The government also said sporting clubs and youth centres will be subject to the closure.

Egypt has introduced a series of sweeping measures in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The country has halted air traffic, closed schools and universities, suspended all sporting events and imposed restrictions on the duration of prayers. It also reduced the number of public sector employees who need to go to work.

Egypt has detected 210 coronavirus cases and registered six deaths, including three foreigners.