Over 300 families have been placed under quarantine in Egypt in a Delta village to stem the spread of the new coronavirus after two deaths were recorded this month originating from the area.

Health Minister Hala Zayed is quoted saying, "We have confined more than 300 families to their homes where they will remain in quarantine."

Without naming the village in Daqahliya Governorate, 150 kilometers north of Cairo in the fertile delta, she explains that cleansing procedures were undertaken to prevent further infections and also added that other touristic governorates would be shut down in the coming days.

The directive comes after Egypt recorded two new deaths, raising the death toll to four.

Egypt's health ministry said on Monday that a 50-year-old Egyptian man died after coming into contact with a 72-year old woman who died on March 12 from COVID-19 who came from the same village now under quarantine.

The other case was of German man in Luxor, where coronavirus cases originated on a Nile boat that was later quarantined.

Egypt has confirmed a total of 166 cases after the ministry recorded 40 new cases, 35 of them Egyptians and five foreigners of various nationalities.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly urged citizens on Monday to stay home and avoid panic shopping stating that the state had abundant reserves of food items and other basic products.

Egypt says it would suspend all flights starting Thursday until the end of the month to try to reduce the rate of infections from the outbreak.