There are currently over 488,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the world and over 22,000 deaths. Egypt has 456 cases and only four deaths as the coronavirus crisis continues to impact countries all around the world.
Now that all the popular tourist sites are empty, they are undergoing a deep clean.
Videos online show cleaners wearing masks and hazmat-looking suits using industrial sterilisation equipment to clean parts of the pyramids.
The clean includes entrances to the pyramids, the ticket offices and the nearby roads to be make sure there is no risk of spreading the virus when they reopen.
However, reportedly the actual pyramids themselves are not being cleaned, according to the New York Times.
Director general of the pyramids Ashraf Mohie El-Din explained why cleaning the pyramids themselves was more complex than most people realise.
Cleaning the ancient structures requires “specific materials” and a specialised team of excavators.”
He said: “We started the first phase of disinfection, and there are other phases.
“We are in the process of disinfecting all tourist sites, though the artefacts themselves require specific materials and (cleaning) must be carried out by a specialised team of excavators.
“We are making use of this period to sanitise the entire area, but also to carry out some maintenance work and renovation to have this area ready to accept visitors again.”
Most of the cases of the coronavirus in Egypt were linked to a cruise ship on the River Nile – the longest river in the world.
The cruise liner saw both foreign passengers and local crew tested positive.
The deadly virus has dealt a huge blow to the country’s crucial tourism sector.
There are currently virtual tours of the Pyramids and other landmarks available on Google Arts & Culture if you want to checkout the historical structures from home.
