Morocco records surge in coronavirus cases, shuts down major citties

Morocco’s health ministry has disclosed that the country would shut doors of its major cities to people starting from midnight in an attempt to curtail hikes in Covid-19 infections in the country.

While disclosing this in a statement on Sunday 26th July 2020, the Health Ministry said among cities to be locked down were Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Fez and Meknes.

The measure, intended to reduce cases of infections in the country, came a month after the country eased its countrywide lockdown.

Until now, international flights are not allowed to operate but domestic airlines with foreign residents or Moroccans onboard for special duties are allowed to operate in the country.

So far the country has mandated use of masks for people after it conducted over 1.1 million tests across the nations.

The recent government decisions to contain spread of the virus seems to be giving authorities greater opportunities to enforce restrictive measures from one region to the other as the government extended its emergency decree until 10th of August this year.

As of Sunday, the number of Covid-19 confirmed cases totaled, 20,278 including Sunday’s 633 cases, the highest recorded rise in the rates of infections. Death toll in the country stands at 313 as of Sunday while about 16,438 have so far recovered.

As the country continues to feel the economic impacts of the pandemic, Morocco is more likely to see a 5% shrink in economy this year, and about 7.5% budget deficit in its gross domestic product.