Egypt Disputes Coronavirus Report, Threatens to Expel Guardian Reporter

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, North Africa, Uncategorized Wednesday, March 18th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Egypt on Tuesday said it will revoke the accreditation of the correspondent for the British newspaper the Guardian after the paper published a report on the coronavirus situation in the country.

According to the authorities, it contains false information about the number of infections.

On Sunday, The Guardian quoted infectious disease specialists from Canada who estimate the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt at over 19,000.

Egypt’s health authorities have so far reported 166 infections, including four deaths and 26 recovered cases.

The country’s State Information Service (SIS), which is in charge of liaising with foreign correspondents, called on the paper to apologise for publishing the report.

It said was “full of professional mistakes, otherwise, the office will be closed.

“If it does not apologise, all legal measures, including the closure and revoking the accreditation of the paper’s office in Egypt, will be taken,” it added in a statement.

The SIS said it also issued a “warning” to The New York Times reporter regarding tweets about the number of coronavirus cases in Egypt.