Ministries Issue COVID-19 Hygiene Rules for Private Sector in Morocco

Rabat – All companies should observe new hygiene rules to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 in Morocco, the Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Labor announced in a joint press release today.

The two ministry’s emphasized six precautionary measures and the need to follow hygienic rules the Ministry of Health is recommending:

Provide workplaces with sufficient hygiene products and materials
Clean all areas of the workplace with chlor
Wash hands regularly with water and soap
Ventilate the workplace
Make enough space between workers
Avoid having anyone present with a symptom of COVID-19 (coughing, fever, and shortness of breath)

The press release follows the government’s March 14 decision to ban public gatherings of more than 50 people.

The Ministry of Education decided to suspend all school activities and close schools starting from today until further notice. The closure included all vocational training centers and public and private schools. The suspension of classes, however, is not a vacation.

Remote educational activities will replace lessons and classes, allowing students to stay at home and continue studies, the ministry added.

This morning, Morocco decided to close all mosques throughout Morocco amid mounting fears of the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, the government closed restaurants, coffee shops, public hamams (traditional baths), movie theaters, clubs, gyms, sports stadiums, and theaters, effective from 6 p.m. today until further notice.

Health authorities in Morocco confirmed the country’s 29th case of the novel coronavirus today. The health ministry said that approximately 135 people with suspected cases tested negative for the virus in Morocco.

The number of positive cases jumped from 18 on Saturday, March 14, to 28 on Sunday.

So far, Morocco has reported only one fatality due to the virus. The patient, an 89-year-old Moroccan woman who arrived from Italy, suffered from preexisting medical conditions.

The first detected case in the kingdom recovered on March 13 and left the hospital the same evening.