FILE PHOTO: Police officers patrol the streets after the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), outside Casablanca, Morocco, March 25, 2020. REUTERS / Youssef Boudlal
RABAT (Reuters) – Morocco will prevent people from entering and leaving some of its largest cities after midnight to contain an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Interior and Health Ministries said on Sunday.
The cities that will be blocked include the economic power of Casablanca, as well as Tangier, Marrakech, Fez and Meknes.
The country eased the national shutdown a month ago, although international flights are still suspended, except for special flights by national airlines that transport Moroccans or foreign residents.
On Sunday, the health ministry said 633 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded, one of the largest daily increases so far, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 20,278, with 313 deaths and 16,438 recoveries.
Morocco has carried out 1.1 million tests and has made the use of masks mandatory. It has extended an emergency decree, until August 10, giving the authorities room for maneuver to restore restrictive measures from one region to another, depending on the evolution of the epidemic.
The government expects Morocco to record a budget deficit of 7.5% of gross domestic product this year, and for the economy to shrink by 5%.
Ahmed Eljechtimi’s Reports; Editing by Pravin Char
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