Requirements for easing confinement not yet met- Moroccan Minister

Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb casted a shadow of uncertainty on the previously announced date of May 20 to ease the confinement to contain contagion, saying that more vigilance is required to stop the emergence of hot spots among families that caused a surge in new cases.

Morocco recorded 128 new cases on Sunday and 199 on Saturday that raised the total number of infections to 6,038 including 2,545 recoveries and 188 deaths, mostly among patients with underlying health conditions.

The majority of newly confirmed cases were found within hot spots in families and factories, the health minister said, noting that 82% of these were reported among contact cases.

“Everybody should be on alert and maintain discipline in order for us all to meet the indispensable requirements for a gradual easing of the lockdown. For now, indicators are not up to our expectations,” Khalid Ait Taleb told Moroccan Al Oula TV channel.

The anti-coronavirus restrictive measures saved 6000 lives, he said. “That is why we should stay vigilant.”

Ending the confinement is harder than starting it, he said, warning of the hot spots that could sap what has been achieved.

Few days ago, 300 cases were found in three shoe factories adjacent to each other in an industrial hub in Casablanca, showing once more how cluster hinder efforts to curb contagion.

The mortality rate of the virus dropped to 3.1% compared with the world average of 7%.