Covid-19 continued to dominate the airwaves last night: Al Hayah Al Youm’s Lobna Assal spoke by phone with Finance Minister Mohamed Maait to discuss the presidential decree to allocate EGP 100 bn for measures to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus. He said the state was prepared with reserves for such exceptional circumstances, and confirmed that EGP 188 mn had been allocated to the Health Ministry (watch, runtime: 16:53). Min Masr’s Amr Khalil (watch, runtime: 5:03) also covered the news.

The latest covid-19 figures: Al Kahera Alaan's Lamees El Hadidi spoke by phone with Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed who confirmed that 126 people had now tested positive for the covid-19 virus in Egypt. Sixteen new cases were reported, he said, adding that they are all cases of community spread — people who’ve come into contact with existing patients in the country — with the exception of one Egyptian who had just returned from Italy. He added that 34 cases have recovered, 26 of which tested negative twice within a 48-hour period and have therefore been discharged from quarantine (watch, runtime: 8:38), Min Masr’s Reham Ibrahim had the same report (watch, runtime: 1:15).

Strategic goods supplies: El Hadidi spoke by phone with Supply Minister Ali El Moselhy who said that strategic supplies of essential goods were available for the coming months, including wheat, sugar, rice and fresh and frozen meats and poultry, and warned against panic buying. They noted that rumors circulating on social media of a curfew being imposed in any governorate starting Tuesday were false (watch, runtime: 13:13), (watch, runtime: 2:19).

Internet data packages beefed up by 20%: El Hadidi spoke by phone with Communications Minister Amr Talaat who confirmed that all landline internet data packages will be given an additional 20% capacity for free to accommodate remote learning needs for students who’re facing a two-week suspension from onsite learning at schools and higher learning institutions

(watch, runtime: 8:31). El Hekaya’s Amr Adib (watch, runtime: 1:30), (watch, runtime: 5:20), and Al Hayah Al Youm’s Lobna Assal (watch, runtime: 5:46) also had the same report.

Remote learning on track: El Hadidi also spoke by phone with Higher Education Minister Khaled Abd El Ghaffar who said that online lectures were proceeding without any setbacks, from basic powerpoint presentations to video conferences across a host of e-learning platforms. He added that the ministry would use the next two weeks to disinfect the higher learning institutions currently closed to the public (watch, runtime: 8:34), Min Masr’s Amr Khalil also had the story (watch, runtime: 7:30).

Sudan to mediate GERD talks: Adib also covered President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s meeting with the leader of Sudan’s Sovereign Council, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, in which they agreed that Sudan will play a leading role in mediating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam negotiations (watch, runtime: 2:42). Assal (watch, runtime: 1:17), and El Hosary (watch, runtime: 5:38) had the same report.