The epidemiological situation in Morocco has been marked over the past weeks by a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases and this Sunday has recorded a record 2,234 cases, the minister told reporters.

According to the minister, 42% of the new cases confirmed Sunday were recorded in the Casablanca region and more specifically in the agglomeration of Casablanca.

Casablanca today represents an exception as it has recorded a large number of serious cases, i.e. 89 patients out of the 201 cases notified on Sunday, which represents a ratio of 45%, he added, noting that the number of asymptomatic cases equals the number of symptomatic cases.

"This explains why there is a strong spread of the virus today and that the patients who are symptomatic will gain the upper hand over the asymptomatic cases, which would represent a danger for the hospital infrastructure and a risk of saturation in the coming days,” he warned.

"We have done what is necessary to curb the spread of the virus in Casablanca with restrictive measures, health and security cords, limitation of activity and also at the level of communication so as to encourage people to comply with precautionary measures, but in vain and we are still seeing a significant upsurge", he underlined.

"We risk being overwhelmed by the virus. Therefore, drastic measures are necessary, otherwise the situation is likely to be out of control in the coming days", the minister added.

Ait Taleb stressed, in this regard, the need to comply with precautionary measures, in particular the compulsory wearing of a mask, physical distancing and hygiene rules so as to curb the spread of the pandemic, in the absence of a vaccine, he concluded.

The government has decided to take a series of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 at the level of the prefecture of Casablanca, as of this Monday, September 7.

In a press release, the government said that these measures consist of the closure of all exits of the prefecture of Casablanca and subjecting movement to and from its territory to an exceptional authorization issued by the local authorities, as well as the closure of all schools (elementary schools, middle schools, high schools and universities), with the adoption of remote education as of Monday.

It also involves the closure of local markets at 3 p.m., cafes and shops at 8 p.m. and restaurants at 9 p.m., in addition to the ban on night-time movement throughout the territory of the prefecture between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., except for health and police staff, employees in vital and sensitive sectors and those involved in the transport of goods, provided they possess a night shift document, according to the same source.

These measures will remain in effect for the next 14 days and the epidemiological situation in the city will be subject to careful and continuous assessment to make the appropriate decisions, the statement added.