2nd Egyptian expat in Italy dies of Covid-19

CAIRO – 23 March 2020: An Egyptian expat in Milano, Italy, was announced dead on Monday of the emerging Coronavirus (Covid-19).

Head of the Italian-Egyptian association Mohamed al- Abd added that the expat was 51 years old, and that he got infected from his direct superior at work.

Abd further explained that the Egyptian expat was hospitalized and quarantined; however, his family members tested positive for the virus. He died two days after he arrived at the hospital.

On March 18, the first Egyptian expat in Bergamo, Italy was announced dead.

“All procedures will be done according to the Italian law and regulations, which means no goodbyes from friends or relatives and no Ghusl (full-body purification with water according to Islamic laws) will be taking place,” Abd wrote on Facebook.

All social gatherings, shows at cinemas and theaters were suspended in Egypt amid fears of spread of the emerging coronavirus. As of March 19, all aviation movement was suspended as well.

Schools and universities across the country were suspended for two weeks as of March 15, according to President Abdel Fatah al Sisi's directions and as part of the country's comprehensive strategy to combat coronavirus.

Sisi allocated L.E. 100 billion to fund the anti-Coronavirus strategy and its related precautionary measures.

"An EgyptAir flight carrying medical supplies has landed in the Italian Malpensa Airport, Sunday, to provide the Italian authority medical aid to fight the spread of coronavirus pandemic," the Egyptian national newspaper al-Akhbar reported.

"The medical aid includes more than 1 million medical face masks that will be sent to Lombardy region, which has been locked down since March 8, 2020, in northern Italy," sources at the Cairo International Airport told the newspaper.