(Ecofin Agency) - Morocco announced on March 5 it has suspended air links with Egypt and Algeria. The ban, in force for an initial period of 3 weeks, follows the resurgence, in the kingdom, of cases of infection with the new variants of Covid-19.

This new measure brings to 20 the number of countries to which Morocco has closed its borders since mid-December 2020. Belgium and Italy were added on March 2, joining Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Turkey, which have been on the "red list" since February 21. The first countries on the list include the United Kingdom, South Africa, Denmark, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine, as well as Brazil.

As of March 5, Morocco reported more than 486,000 cases with nearly 471,000 recoveries and 8,673 deaths. The country launched last month a large vaccination campaign first targeting frontline workers (health personnel, public authorities, security forces, teachers, etc.), as well as the elderly, and those vulnerable to the virus. In total, the government hopes to vaccinate 80% of Moroccans over 18.

Romuald Ngueyap