Egypt To Bring Home Over 16,000 Nationals Stranded Abroad Amid COVID-19

 Mostafa Madbouly

CAIRO, May 14 (NNN-MENA) – Egyptian Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, said that, the authorities will bring home more than 16,000 nationals stranded abroad, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The flights, quarantine and the medical tests from May 3 to May 9, cost the government 28 million Egyptian pounds (1.78 million U.S. dollars), according to a government statement.

Earlier in the day, 311 Egyptians, stranded in Canada, arrived back by an exceptional EgyptAir flight, as part of the country’s efforts to bring home its nationals abroad.

The returnees have been taken to some hotels in the Red Sea city of Marsa Alam to spend 14 days in quarantine.

Egypt suspended international flights on Mar 19, to curb the spread of COVID-19. Since then, more than 3,000 Egyptians abroad have returned home, according to the emigration ministry.

The Egyptian government brought back stranded Egyptians from across the world, including the United States, Britain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkey, Uganda, Rwanda, Chad and Niger.