A group of six people equipped with masks, hazmat protection suits and industrial cleaning equipment sterilised the surroundings of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure pyramids.

"We take advantage of this suspension to prepare the archaeological zone in terms of maintenance and restoration so that when tourism recovers, the area of the pyramids is in its maximum splendour to receive its visitors," director-general of the Giza Plateau Ashraf Mohi al-Din said.

The process included the entrance to the pyramids, ticket offices, the walk-throughs and the roads around the three monuments and the Sphinx.

The complex has not received practically any visitors over the past few days as the authorities decided to suspend flights.

"The monument has a specific form of sterilisation with specific material that will be carried out by a team of specialised restorers," Mohi al-Din said.

"The current sterilisation is outside, of tourist routes, roads, buildings, and administrative facilities only".

Last week, the tourism sector employees in Luxor, where Valley of the Kings is located, were put under quarantine until the end of the month to ensure they had not contracted the virus.

The quarantine also included the tourism workers in the provinces of Aswan, to the south of Luxor, and South Sinai, known for its beaches on the Red Sea.

All the people on board Nile cruises - including employees and tourists - underwent checks last week, with those who tested positive for coronavirus being moved to isolation hospitals, according to the government.

Egypt has reported 366 coronavirus cases and 19 deaths.

Australian Associated Press