Tributes flood for iconic Egyptian actress Ragaa al-Geddawy after she dies of Covid-19
Tributes flood for iconic Egyptian actress Ragaa al-Geddawy after she dies of Covid-19
Ragaa el-Geddawy has died of coronavirus, flooding tributes across the world.
2 min read
Ragaa El-Geddawy has died [Instagram]
Iconic Egyptian actress Ragaa al-Geddawy died on Sunday after weeks of battling the novel coronavirus disease, the actors union announced.
Al-Geddawy, 81, was diagnosed with the deadly virus on 25 May. She was sent to intensive care on 2 June, at the dismay of millions of Arab fans across the world.
A week after her admission into intensive care, her doctors announced that she was in stable condition after receiving a being injected with a blood plasma treatment, believed to transfer antibodies of those already recovered.
After she was said to be stable, her condition deteriorated rapidly, leading up to her death.
"Ragaa al-Geddawy passed away this morning due to Covid-19," union head Ashraf Zaki said.
"No public funeral was arranged for health reasons."
Thousands took to Twitter to pay tribute to her, posting her most iconic photos and expressing sadness for the latest loss in Arab film.
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"The last graceful princess of Egyptian cinema passed away. A true symbol of grandeur, finesse and humility.
My deepest condolences to all of us for our loss.
Rest in peace Ragaa Al Geddawy. Sad", one Arab fan tweeted.
Finished filming last TV series
Geddawy was treated in isolation at a hospital in Ismailia province, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) east of Cairo, local media reported.
She had recently finished filming for her latest TV series "Laabet El Nesyan" (Oblivion Game), which aired during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
A veteran actor, Geddawy boasted a lengthy and varied career during which she gained fame across the Arab world.
Geddawy started out as a model before taking on acting roles from the late 1950s, including her first film "Ghariba" (The Stranger) in 1958.
She went on to act in more than 380 films, plays and television shows alongside some of the biggest names in Egyptian cinema.
Geddawy was also the niece of renowned belly dancer and actor, Taheya Carioca.
Egypt's health ministry has tallied 74,035 Covid-19 cases including 3,280 deaths since recording its first infections.
Agencies contributed to this report.
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