Moroccan Covid-19 Travel Restrictions in Tangier

Cases are Climbing

One thousand four hundred and ninety-nine (1,499)- the number of confirmed coronavirus cases within the last 24 hours in Morocco, announced Wednesday by the Ministry of Health. The death toll rose to 556, with 23 recorded additions over the last day. Moroccan officials reimposed lock-down and travel restrictions in Tangier Wednesday after this recent climb in confirmed Covid-19 cases. Adopting a strict approach to the enforcement of these sanitary regulations.

Abdessamad Lamrabet, Regional Secretary of the National Health Federation in Tangier, expressed some concern about the strictness of the Covid-19 prevention enforcement, “It is not normal to see the military reinforcements and to have police present in the city of Tangier and in particular to see armoured vehicles and police dispatchers at the entrance to our neighbourhoods, but Tangier is a lively and dynamic city."

Strict Travel Protocols

Public transportation will function at only 50% capacity and approved travel permits are required by individuals circulating between cities - with authorities handing out fines of 300 dirhams to those in violation of social distancing and mandatory face mask measures.

In addition, all forms of gatherings are prohibited and presence on beaches is banned - with many commercial centres and non-essential businesses to close at earlier hours.

On Thursday, August 6, the Moroccan authorities announced that they would extend the national state of health emergency through to the middle of September, as the rising case numbers indicate the continued spread of the coronavirus within the nation.

The Figures

As of Friday, August 7, 29,644 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Morocco with 449 associated fatalities. These new figures now in the tens of thousands since the first case in the country was reported back in March. Infections may be on the rise but the recovery rate is still at an optimistic 70% as communicated by Mouad Mrabet, the coordinator of the National Center for Public Health Emergency Operations at the Ministry of Health.

The spread of the virus is expected to occur on an international level in the upcoming months.