Morocco’s Health Ministry says surge in Covid-19 cases due to increase in tests

Morocco’s health ministry has reassured that the coronavirus pandemic in Morocco is stable and under control ascribing the rise in new cases over the last few days to the generalization of mass tests.

Over the last week cases rose by more than 200, especially after a hot spot was found in a cluster linked to strawberry packaging units where in total some 900 people were infected.

The ministry said that 98% of people who tested positive did not show symptoms although they could pass on the disease therefore the need for isolating them.

Morocco has started on June 25 a major easing of a three-month lockdown allowing cafes, shopping centers, sports centers and other entertainment areas to re-open their doors and domestic bus and air travels to resume although it keeps the state of health emergency in force until July 10.

Regions where infections were rife still apply tougher anti-covid measures.

The Health Ministry meanwhile urged citizens to continue to wear facemasks in public, wash hands frequently and install a coronavirus tracing app.

By Monday morning, Morocco has registered 12,248 cases including 224 deaths and 8,790 recoveries as total number of tests exceeded 630,000.