A special flight operated by EgyptAir to repatriate 339 Egyptians from Washington amid the coronavirus pandemic landed in Egypt’s Marsa Alam on Sunday, state-run MENA agency reported.

An informed source at the airport said in statements to MENA that the airport's quarantine team carried out medical checkups on passengers and the disinfection and sterilisation of their luggage.

Upon their arrival, the passengers checked in at a hotel in Marsa Alam selected by authorities where they will spend 14 days in quarantine.

The government is requiring returnees to sign before boarding their flights a written acknowledgement that they agree to be quarantined.

The repatriated Egyptians will bear the cost of the hotel quarantine, estimated at a minimum of EGP 10,500 ($666.7), despite a previous decision by the state to cover the cost of the stay.

Egypt began repatriating its citizens in March, bringing back hundreds of its nationals stranded in various countries due to the pandemic.

The country is keeping its airspace open to inbound charter and special flights to transport outbound passengers, and to cargo and domestic flights, during the suspension of air traffic that has been in place since mid-March.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stressed in earlier statements that Egypt is committed to repatriating an estimated 3,500 Egyptians stranded abroad at the earliest opportunity.

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