As of March 22, 109 people in Morocco have been infected with the novel coronavirus Covid-19, three of them have died and three were cured. Meanwhile, health authorities increase the labs that can test the covid-19, including the Pasture de Maroc in Casablanca, the National Laboratory in Rabat and the Military Laboratory of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.
Since Sunday, Morocco has stopped the special measure taken recently to facilitate the return of foreigners to their countries, Moroccan Foreign Ministry stated, pointing out that the measure followed a decision of suspending the international flights from and to Morocco.
Government Actions
The Moroccan Ministry of the Interior has imposed new measures aimed at strengthening the health emergency measures announced by the Moroccan authorities last Friday.
The ministry prohibited using private and public transportation between cities, as this decision was put into force last Sunday.
“This prohibition does not include transporting goods and basic needs, as this shall be conducted normally and smoothly to ensure providing the citizens with their daily needs,” a statement by the ministry clarified.
“The prohibition also does not include movements for health of professional reasons, provided having documents issued by government organizations,” according to the ministry.
Popular Stance of the Emergency State
During the first three days of imposing the emergency state, citizens had greatly adhered, except for some isolated cases, and the carelessness of some political Islam streams, tring to crowd the people irrespective of the risks.
The Moroccan citizens, in solidarity with the army and security units deployed in the Moroccan cities, stand on their balconies every night at 10:00 chanting the national anthem.
Islamic Parties .. Fishing in Troubled Water
In violation to the health emergency state imposed by Moroccan authorities, dozens of people in Tangier, Fez, Salé and Tetouan, most of them belonging to Islamic groups including the Justice and Charity – semi-band – Group, went out to the attempting to make marching and demonstrations. The demonstrators chanted Islamic calls, trying to gather more people.
That happened last Saturday, as the marching roamed several streets in the above mentioned cities, where marchers chanted “Allah is the greatest” and “There is no God but Allah.”
Moroccan political, cultural, religious, academic and media figures have expressed their dissatisfaction with these gatherings, saying this behavior would endangers the lives of Moroccans, if the epidemic will be spreading, and condemning this irresponsible behavior led by narrow political attitudes.
Several human rights associations and anti-extremism and terrorism organizations have filed complaints against the Salafi preacher Radwan Bin Abdul Salam and al-Raki Ashraf al Hayyani, as well as anyone, whose name will be revealed through investigations. The complaints were presented to the Head of Public Prosecution investigating those, who call for violating the quarantine imposed by authorities.
The Moroccan parties have condemned the behavior of some groups that went out in incomprehensible and unjustified gatherings in the public, violating the law that preserves the public interest and guarantees the safety of citizens and society.
The eight major parties also affirmed their support and appreciation for the measures taken by the Moroccan authorities to besiege the virus, calling on all Moroccans to fully comply with the state of emergency and adhere to the precautionary measures imposed by the authorities to prevent an outbreak of Corona virus.
