COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco
The COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Morocco on 2 March 2020, when the first case COVID-19 case was confirmed in Casablanca.[3] It involved a Moroccan expatriate residing in Bergamo, Italy, who arrived from Italy on 27 February. A second case was confirmed later that same day involving an 89-year-old Moroccan woman residing in Italy who had returned to Morocco on 25 February from Bologna, Italy.[4] As the outbreak widened in Morocco, in mid-March the Government closed schools and suspended international passenger flights.
Background[edit]
On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan, Hubei, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[7][8]
The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[9][10] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[11][9] Model-based simulations for Morocco suggest that the 95% confidence interval for the time-varying reproduction number R t has been stable below 1.0 since November 2020.[12]
Responses[edit]
Transportation[edit]
On 13 March 2020 the government of Morocco announced they were suspending all passenger flights and ferry crossings to and from Algeria, Spain and France until future notice.[25]
On 14 March 2020, the government announced it was suspending flights with an additional 25 countries.[a][26] By that date, flights had been suspended to/from Algeria, Spain, France, Italy and China.[26]
On 15 March 2020, the Moroccan government decided to suspend all international flights, and did not announce an expected date for them to resume. It allowed a minority of flights for foreigners wishing to leave to board before completely shutting down its airports on the 22nd.[27]
On 21 June 2020, the government re-opened major airports to serve domestic flights only.[28]
On 9 July 2020, the government announced that international flights were to resume, with access only for Moroccans or for foreigners residing within the Kingdom. Incoming passengers were required to bring a COVID-19 test result from their country of departure, issued less than 48 hours of the time of arrival. Moroccans living outside of, or foreigners residing within the Kingdom were allowed to leave the country.[29]
On 4 September 2020, the government announced that foreigners who were allowed visa-free entry to Morocco can enter the Kingdom's territory conditionally, either through an invitation or a hotel reservation.[30]
On 28 November 2021, the government suspended all incoming international flights in response to the spread of the Omicron variant.[31] International flights resumed on 7 February 2022.[32]
Education[edit]
On 13 March, the government decided to shut down all schools, effective 16 March until further notice.[33] Classes were to be continued either online or through TV, with the use of the SNRT channels for levels of a certain importance, such as the Baccalaureate level.
On 11 April, the Ministry of Education announced that tests and exams will take place normally, but later in the year, and admittance to next levels will be based on the same criteria as before, to ensure equity in grades and notes, instead of admitting students based on their grades of the previous semester.
On 12 May, the Ministry of Education announced that tests and exams are cancelled for primary and secondary education, while Bac exam will be held in July and first year of Bac will be held in September. Students aren't going back to school until September 2020.