The Coronavirus death toll in Egypt has doubled from 14 on 1 December to 28 on 3 December, with the official death toll nearly 6700 and the official case tally reaching 116724. The daily number of COVID-19 cases, after hovering around the 100-150 mark around August, saw a rapid rise in the past two month, reaching close to 400 daily cases. While many experts suggest that these numbers are are likely to be imprecise due to limited testing, they do reflect tendencies in community spread. Despite these warnings, including a reminder that citizens must wear face masks in public, Egypt has not seen significant change in how its population is responding to the virus. Face masks, while still being worn by government officials at official events, are worn as commonly (or in adherence with appropriate health instructions) by everyday Egyptians. In spite of the Gouna Film Festival in late October resulting in a large number of infections, the Cairo Film Festival was given the green light, and is currently taking place. Although the Health Ministry has announced a number of measures for the festival, most attendees are photographed without masks…
