RABAT (Reuters) – Morocco extended on Thursday an emergency decree until Aug. 10 giving local authorities leeway in taking restrictive measures in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
The cabinet maintained the decree in force to allow for restoring lockdowns on a region-by-region basis depending on the coronavirus developments.
Morocco has unlocked since June 25 most of the economy allowing cafes, restaurants, sports clubs, and other services and entertainment businesses to resume activity at half capacity except in the provinces where infections remain higher such as Tangier, Marrakech and Safi.
Domestic travel has resumed, while borders are set to reopen on July 14 to nationals in addition to foreign residents and their families.
By Thursday evening, Morocco had recorded 15079 cases, including 242 deaths and 11447 recoveries with total tests rising to 835,264.
Outbreaks within industrial clusters have complicated Morocco’s efforts to counter the coronavirus with the latest major outbreak earlier this week found among workers of fish canneries in Safi.
The pandemic has hit Morocco’s finances as the government expects a budget deficit of 7.5% and economic growth at -5%.
(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Toby Chopra)
