First Independent Mena Newspaper
Algeria has lambasted its exclusion by the European Union from the shortlist of countries whose citizens and residents can travel to Schengen area amid ongoing covid-19 pandemic. Brussels has excluded people from Algeria from traveling into the EU amid a rise in coronavirus cases in the North African country, which posted 31,465 contaminations since February […]
The EU deemed Morocco a safe country to fly to in view of its efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Morocco maintained its status following a regular two-week review of the list from which the US, Serbia and Montenegro were chalked off earlier this month. Algeria was the latest country the EU scrapped from the […]
Morocco has decided Sunday night to shut down eight cities preventing exit and access, in a new restrictive measure that would last 14 days according to Health Minister Khaled Ait Taleb. On Sunday, the announcement was made six hours before the new lockdown of the cities with higher infections was implemented causing a rush and […]
As Morocco has recorded a surge in coronavirus cases in several prefectures and provinces, in recent days, it has been decided to ban from Sunday midnight travel to and from eight major cities. These are Tangier, Tetouan, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca, Berrechid, Settat and Marrakech, said Sunday a joint statement by the ministries of the Interior […]
Moroccan hospitals will be supplied with influenza and pneumococcal vaccines during the coming autumn, Health Minister Khalid Ait Taleb announced on Saturday. While waiting for a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, the ministry of Health has decided to launch a vaccination campaign against seasonal influenza and pneumococcal infections for people suffering from chronic diseases in […]
Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior reiterated that it is compulsory for all individuals to wear protective facemasks anywhere outside home and threatened violators of the law with prison sentences and fines. The ministry specified, in a communiqué released this Saturday July 25, that the regulation is in line with “a constant and continuous concern to […]
Algeria is facing an acute shortage of coronavirus tests as the virus spreads exponentially among its citizens making the number of confirmed cases a tiny tip of a giant Covid-19 iceberg. Already one of the countries with least tests on the African continent, people taking Coronavirus checks have to wait up to 15 days for […]
Like other airlines across the globe, the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the plans of Moroccan airline plans for regional expansion pushing it to cut staff, axe routes and adopt painful austerity measures. The company plans to lay off 750 employees including 150 pilots, in a move that is met with fierce resistance from unions. The […]
Morocco has further loosened the restrictive measures to contain the coronavirus but calls on citizens to maintain vigilance. From this Monday, hotels are able to operate at full capacity while inter-city transport companies are allowed to fill in 75% of their capacity. Shared facilities such as restaurants and sports clubs will operate at half capacity, […]
The Moroccan government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak was “swift and decisive,” the World Bank said in its Economic Monitor report for July 2020. “The government’s proactive response enabled the country to avoid a massive outbreak, thus saving lives,” said the Washington-based institution, noting that continued good policy measures are “critical” both to shorten and […]