Morocco Tries to Contain Pandemic by Imposing Strict Measures

Morocco imposes strict measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. MAP
Morocco imposes strict measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. MAP
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Morocco Tries to Contain Pandemic by Imposing Strict Measures

Morocco imposes strict measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. MAP
Morocco imposes strict measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. MAP

Morocco’s Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani said his government is taking all responsibility for managing the coronavirus pandemic and continues to assess the spread of the COVID-19 disease on a weekly basis or more.

In press statements on Tuesday, Othmani said some new decisions have been made to deal rapidly with new infections.

The government aims at reducing the number of infections by imposing quick measures, he affirmed, noting that any delay could have heavy consequences.

“All countries in the work often resort to strict decisions when it comes to the pandemic.”

“There isn’t any country or government in the world that wishes to close its economy or limit the movement of its citizens,” the PM said.

The Health Ministry announced on Tuesday a new record number of recoveries from COVID-19 amounting to 3,426 in the past 24 hours, raising the tally to 84,158 recoveries.

It also recorded 1,376 new cases, bringing the country’s tally to 103,119 since the first case was reported on March 2.

The ministry recorded 25 new deaths, increasing the death toll to 1,855, and saying the mortality rate remains at 1.8 percent.

The new cases were distributed as follows: Casablanca (495), Rabat-Sale-Kenitra (296), Beni Mellal-Khenifra (88), Marrakech-Safi region (86), Souss-Massa (84) and Tangier-Tetouan-al Hoceima (79).

Morocco’s cumulative infection rate during the past 24 hours has become 284 infections per 100,000 people, and the infection index is 3.8 per 100,000 people.

Moroccan health authorities excluded 20,085 suspected COVID-19 cases.

A total of approximately 2,307,457 suspected COVID-19 carriers have tested negative for the virus so far.

The number of active cases currently receiving treatment is 17,106, or 47.1 cases per 100,000 people.

Morocco counts 300 patients with severe symptoms, including 41 on ventilators.

In other news, the Pasteur Institute of Morocco (IPM) announced on Monday that it will continue to perform PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests.

In accordance with the Ministry of Health's anti-coronavirus strategy, the IPM has been making these tests at the reference laboratory for emerging and dangerous viruses at the rate of some 2,000 tests per day since the pandemic’s outbreak in the Kingdom, it said in a statement.



Marzouki’s Case Referred to Anti-Terrorism Unit, Former Tunisian President Faces 20 New Charges

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (AFP)
Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (AFP)
TT

Marzouki’s Case Referred to Anti-Terrorism Unit, Former Tunisian President Faces 20 New Charges

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (AFP)
Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki (AFP)

Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki announced on Tuesday that he had been informed his case had been transferred to the Anti-Terrorism Judicial Unit. He now faces 20 charges, including inciting internal unrest and spreading false information.
Marzouki wrote on X that his brother, Mokhles, was summoned on Monday to the police station of El Kantaoui (governorate of Sousse) to sign a document stating that Moncef Marzouki’s case had been referred to the Anti-Terrorist Judicial Unit.
Marzouki wrote that he had already been convicted to four and eight years in prison in two separate cases.
He concluded his post with a famous quote borrowed from Abu al-Qasim al-Shabi, “Night will no doubt dissipate.”
Last February, a Tunisian court sentenced former president Moncef Marzouki to eight years in prison in absentia.
The charges against Marzouki, who lives in Paris, stemmed from remarks he made that authorities said violated laws and triggered incitement to overthrow the government.
Marzouki served as the first democratically elected president of Tunisia from 2011 to 2014.
This is the second time Moncef Marzouki has been sentenced for comments made at demonstrations and on social media. In December 2021, he received a four-year sentence for undermining state security.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Defence Minister Khaled S'hili announced that Tunisia's national army had dismantled terrorist camps, neutralized 62 landmines, and seized various materials and equipment in 2024, as part of ongoing efforts in the fight against terrorism.
As of October 31, the Tunisian army had conducted 990 anti-terrorist operations in suspected areas, including large-scale operations in the country's mountainous regions. These operations involved over 19,500 military personnel, according to Defense Minister Khaled S'hili, speaking at a joint session of the two chambers of parliament.
He then confirmed that these operations led to the arrest of around 695 smugglers and the seizure of 375,000 drug pills.