Religion

Egyptians celebrate Eid al-Fitr with little concern for Covid-19

By Taha Mohamed

Cairo, May 13 (EFE).- Egyptians on Thursday marked Eid al-Fitr, the culmination of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with many seemingly unconcerned about Covid-19, despite a recent spike in the coronavirus infections in the country.

“I am not worried about the coronavirus. It is not the only cause of death,” Amr Taha, a 36-year-old Egyptian told Efe, on the first of the the three-day holiday.

“You can die walking on the street, standing still, chilling at home, sleeping, or enjoying a meal with your people. Death is so close; it can come at any moment,” he said.

Although he kept to the tradition of performing the Eid prayers, he opted for a unique way to celebrate the occasion; by fishing on the banks of the River Nile near Cairo’s Zamalek neighborhood.

“This is the happiest place on earth for me to mark Eid: to stay on the banks of the Nile and fish,” said Taha, one of a handful men who were fishing without masks.

After being unable to fish during Ramadan due to the heat and the daily fasts, he is looking forward to sharing his catch with his family and celebrate Eid in style.

Elsewhere in Cairo, a group of teenagers celebrated Eid more traditionally, touring Cairo’s most iconic attractions, including the Pyramids and the Tower, after performing prayers.

“We are happy. We go out with our friends and families. No, we do not have concerns over the coronavirus, we leave it to God,” one of the teenagers, Zyad Youssef Sayed, told Efe.

“Now we are going home to get some rest and we will go out again,” he added, trying to seize the day before the nighttime measures imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus take effect.

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