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Rabat – Morocco’s government decided today, May 6 to extend the country’s state of emergency until June 10.
The government council announced the news today following its weekly meeting.
The council stated that the extension of the state of emergency is part of the efforts to combat COVID-19 and its variants.
The measure, which has been running since March 2020, allows security services and authorities to take proactive measures, including the extending curfew measures, instituting travel bans, and implementing movement restrictions.
Morocco’s government expressed concerns after the north African country has been recording cases from the new variants of the virus.
Morocco recorded a dozen cases of the British variant and has recently confirmed two cases from the Indian mutation of COVID-19.
To date, Morocco has confirmed 512, 656 COVID-19 cases, including 499,491 recoveries, and 9,043 deaths.
With Eid Al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, around the corner, it remains to be seen whether the government will lift the night curfew or maintain the measure.
Before Ramadan, which is expected to end on Thursday, May 13 in Morocco, authorities decided to maintain the night curfew.
Under the measure, Moroccans and residents have had their movement restricted from sunset to 6 a.m. in the morning.
Only people with exceptional movement permits and valid reasons can go out at night.
Recently, local media have quoted sources from the government that suggest upcoming plans to lift the night curfew that will allow cafes and restaurants to operate until 11 p.m.
After an extremely difficult 2020, Morocco’s hospitality sector experienced another heavy blow after Morocco decided to maintain the night curfew during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Cafe and restaurant owners and their employees decried the move by issuing press releases that expressed concerns regarding the socio-economic crisis driven by the night curfew.
