Wearing a mask is mandatory "from Tuesday to all persons entitled to move" during the confinement imposed by Morocco, announced on Monday evening official statement. The decision was announced after a meeting of the government council for better control of the epidemic.
Morocco introduced a "state of health emergency" on March 19, with total and compulsory confinement for everyone, except for those with a derogatory driving license to go to their work. Police, security and military personnel supported by armored vehicles have been deployed across the country, with frequent checkpoints on roads and in cities. But the instruction is difficult to apply in working-class and poor neighborhoods, which are very densely populated where families crowd into small areas.
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The number of cases officially declared in Morocco has doubled in less than a week, to 1,120 Monday afternoon, including 80 deaths and 81 remissions. These figures should be analyzed taking into account the low number of tests conducted - just under 4,000 since the start of the pandemic. Authorities announced last week that they had ordered 100,000 “rapid screening” tests to expand early detection, in line with WHO advice.
Those who do not wear masks are subject to the same sanctions provided for breaches of exceptional measures: one to three months in prison, fine of 1300 DH (115 euros). Since March 19, a total of 8,612 people have been arrested and prosecuted for lack of permits, illegal transportation of people, breach of confinement or sale of fraudulent products, according to a recent official report.
The sanitary masks which are produced by local industrialists who have adapted their production to the health crisis will be sold for 80 cts per unit (around 7 cts euros), with subsidies from the Special Emergency Fund funded by the State and by donations, specifies the press release. Supermarkets started selling them on Sunday but stocks were already depleted on Monday afternoon in some stores in Rabat.
Morocco, which has 35 million inhabitants, has a capacity to accommodate potential patients of "1,642 intensive care beds" in the public and private.