The moroccan government do not stop at any decision as soon as it will limit the risk of the spread of the new coronavirus. It is in any case what it should be, since, in order to avoid a fluttering of the second wave of the epidemic Covid-19, the ministries of Interior and of Health have announced measures to restrict travel on Sunday evening in eight cities, among which, Marrakech and Tangier.
The information having been given five hours prior to its taking effect Sunday at midnight (23: 00 GMT), people racing on the roads and train stations. The result : traffic jams, railway stations, full of people and even road accidents according to several local media. The mountain road leading from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate remained blocked Monday morning due to the influx of cars, according to the same source. Sunday night, crowds of travelers racing to the big bus station of Casablanca, and Monday, the train station of Mohammedia was still crowded, found the AFP.
traffic congestion has increased in the kingdom due to the announcement of the decision to close eight moroccan cities, representing half of the population of the country. © DR
In the wake of a “significant increase” of the case, the fear of a wave 2
It must be said that the closure until further order of eight cities – prohibition of entry in these urban areas and get out – which together comprise more than half of the population of the country, has been decided because of the “significant increase” of cases of contamination to a few days of the Eid al-Adha, the great islamic feast of the sacrifice, scheduled for Friday and traditionally marked by family reunions. As a reminder, the relevant cities are the economic capital Casablanca, the tourist capital Marrakech (south), the city port of Tangier, the second largest economic centre of the kingdom, but also Tetouan, Fes, Meknes, Berrechid and Settat.
The blow is especially tough for the moroccan that moroccan authorities had announced in mid-July, a new relief of the containment measures adopted in march, with provisions to encourage domestic tourism and facilitate travel during the Eid al-Adha, but the weekend was marked by record-high contamination, with 811 cases Saturday and 633 Sunday.
The total number of cases officially registered in the country was Sunday night 20.278, including 313 deaths. What is the official reason advanced by the authorities to explain these severe restrictions ? According to the official press release, “they have been taken in regard to the non-compliance by the majority of citizens in prevention measures such as social distancing and the wearing of the mask.
