Egyptians returning from abroad were surprised by the decision of the Egyptian government to apply mandatory quarantine to all returnees inside hotels at the expense of each traveller, which caused a state of chaos inside Cairo Airport. Social media users shared videos of stranded returnees from European and Arab countries in Cairo Airport after they were prevented from leaving before they had signed a mandatory quarantine declaration at the expense of each traveller.

The returnees refused to submit to medical quarantine at their own cost in Le Meridien Hotel at a cost of EGP 2,000 ($127) per night, and demanded that the government bear the cost of their stay in the hotel, or that they be isolated in a government hospital. The Ministry of Health imposed a quarantine on all Egyptian passengers who had been stranded abroad, to ensure that they are not infected with coronavirus.