Egyptian authorities have said all restaurants, nightclubs, health clubs and swimming pools at hotels in Greater Cairo will be off limits to non-guests, in the latest measures aiming to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, a statement by the tourism ministry read.

Maged Fawzy, the chairman of the Egyptian Hotel Association, said the facilities would remain open to hotel guests only. 

The closure comes under a Thursday decision by the cabinet mandating malls, restaurants, coffee shops and nightclubs around the country close overnight from 7pm to 6am, until 31 March. 

Egypt has introduced a series of sweeping measures in an attempt to stem the spread of the new virus, suspending all international flights at Egyptian airports and shuttering schools and universities.

Egypt has so far detected 256 coronavirus cases and registered seven deaths.