Morocco locks down economic hub of Tangiers after virus spike

Morocco has announced a return to lockdown specifically in the city of Tangiers as part of efforts to battle a new outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Weeks after easing nationwide restrictions, the northern port city of Tangiers was locked down, with public transport suspended, cafes and public spaces closed and movement restricted.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement, that residents are only allowed to leave their homes in cases of extreme necessity. The authorities decided to reimpose the measures to prevent the spread of the virus after new infection clusters appeared.

Tangiers, a key economic hub linking Africa with Europe and beyond, has about a million inhabitants. The region currently accounts for almost 20 per cent of the country’s COVID-19 cases.

Morocco had been on lockdown since March 20, while the country on June 20 announced it would ease the restrictions.

• Confirmed cases = 16,262
• Active cases = 2,182
• Recoveries = 13,821
• Number of deaths = 259