Egypt says it has completed the disinfection of a number of its ancient religious sites nationwide, as the country continues its shutdown of historical sites and museums to stem the spread of the coronavirus. 

 

In a statement, the tourism ministry said it has concluded the sterilisation of Islamic, Coptic and Jewish religious sites nationwide under disinfection measures for all its museums and ancient sites.

 

Head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities Sector Osama Talaat said the sterilisation included the legendary tree of the Virgin Mary in Matariya in northeast Cairo, the Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary in Upper Egypt’s Assiut, Alexandria’s Coptic Christian site and Egypt's UNESCO World Heritage Site Abu Mena, and Aswan’s Monastery of St Simeon.

 

Religious sites in Islamic Cairo's Al-Muez Street, Salah El-Din Citadel, Sultan Hassan Complex, the historical Al-Azhar and Alexandria’s Citadel of Qaitbay have also been sterilised.

 

Cairo’s Moshe Bin Maimon (Maimonides) Jewish Synagogue and the recently renovated Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria have also been sterilised, according to the statement.

 

The move comes as Egypt said it will continue its shutdown of all museums and archaeological sites in the country until mid-April as a preventive measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Egypt has begun holding during weekends a series of online, guided video tours of museums in Egypt on its official website and social media pages under the slogan ‘Experience Egypt from Home. Stay Home. Stay Safe.’