Opposition group to support ending coronavirus crisis in Egypt

Egyptian Working Group yesterday said it would provide the “necessary support for the country’s fight against the coronavirus.”

“The Working Group will do whatever we can to save the country from collapsing after the regime’s wrong policies led to the escalation of the crisis,” the organisation announced.

“Egypt is approaching a disaster, and everyone must act to alleviate it,” the group – which consists of a number of prominent opposition figures – warned.

Addressing authorities, the group stressed it was not the time for “revenge or annihilation of opponents”, referring to recent reports that the country was not allowing Egyptians stranded in Qatar to return home.

The opposition group also expressed its solidarity with “all calls made by public figures and several institutions to reduce the expected effects of the virus on the country.”

READ: Egypt delivers medical aid to Italy despite severe shortages at home 

“It is no secret to anyone that all countries around the world, including the most economically powerful, have become fearful of an economic recession that we have already entered and its direct effects on the global economy,” the group pointed out, warning that the recession “might last for months after the epidemic is over.”

According to the Egyptian health ministry, 1,173 people have contracted the virus, of whom 247 have recovered, and 78 others died.

However, Canadian researchers estimate there to be over 19,000 cases in Egypt amid allegations of a government cover-up.

So far, at least 1,330,461 people worldwide have contracted the virus, of whom more than 73,871 have died; 277,707 have recovered, according to the US’ Worldometers. The World Health Organisation has declared the crisis to be a pandemic.