“All what we want now is to go back to Morocco until things get better,” one of the students said.
Rabat – More than 100 students are stranded in Wuhan, in Hubei province in central China, after the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
China is now expanding lockdown in Hubei province after the outbreak of the deadly disease.
The death toll has climbed to 26.
China’s travel restrictions are affecting 20 million people in 10 cities, including Wuhan. Some of the people affected by travel restrictions are Moroccan students in the province.
A student in Wuhan, who prefers to remain anonymous for safety concerns, told Morocco World News that more than 100 Moroccan students are stranded at the university dormitories.
“Anyone who tries to escape the place will be sentenced to 7 years in prison,” the student warned.
The young man reassured MWN that all students are safe.
“The Moroccan embassy in China reached out to us and told us that they are ready to help with anything we need,” he added.
Students in the dormitories are not allowed to leave the place for any reason.
“We don’t have enough food. We only have the food that we can live with for three or four days,” said the student.
Supermarkets and shops are closed as people are afraid to get affected by the disease.
Videos have gone viral online showing Wuhan’s markets empty.
Coronavirus is a fatal and highly contagious disease that causes respiratory infection.
International media reported that Chinese krait and Chinese cobra could be the original source for the outbreak.
Although, the disease could be transmitted through the air.
“We want to go back to Morocco or anywhere safe until things get better,” the student said.
Some of the students were able to escape before the travel ban was imposed.
“We have more friends outside the dormitory. They live in the same province but not with us,” he said.
The Moroccan embassy said it is following the situation closely.
“The Moroccan embassy calls on the Moroccan community to stay alert and abide by all prevention measures that Chinese authorities announced,” the embassy said.
The diplomatic mission in the Asian country added that the embassy is ready to help or share information with Moroccan residents.
The student confirmed that the embassy was helpful.
“I hope the embassy finds a way to help us return home soon,” he concluded.
