El Othmani: “I Repeatedly Advised against Traveling on Eid”

The Head of Government said that the decisions taken regarding Fez and Tangier were not based on any “improvisation”. On the contrary, they are sensible and necessary, given the worrying epidemiological situation affecting these two cities.

These measures are the result of the weekly evaluation carried out by experts of a scientific commission of the Ministry of Health, in close collaboration with the security services, said Saad-Eddine El Othmani.

The words of the head of government and secretary general of the PJD were addressed to officials of his party to whom he argued that “all cities are on an equal footing”. He added that, sometimes, it is necessary to take decisions that may seem ‘severe’ and ‘ unfavourable’ in order to contain the risk of spreading Covid-19. After all, the epidemiological situation is becoming more and more worrying, with a serious increase in confirmed cases and infections.

El Othmani also specified that the latest measures concerning Tangier and Fez are based on essential indicators, as well as the number of confirmed and serious cases. These data result from the percentage of cases confirmed, during one week, per 100,000 inhabitants.

Thus, experts from the Ministry of Health have concluded that a city with a rate of 50 confirmed cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, in one week, is classified in the list of cities where the epidemiological situation is considered alarming. Therefore, El Othmani stressed that drastic and urgent measures must be taken. That is precisely the case of Tangier and Fez!

As for the provinces and cities where between 35 and 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants are registered, they are classified among those where a state of alert must be required, according to the head of government and Secretary General of the Islamist party.

El Othmani also reminded his party’s leaders that they have noticed that he has advised against inter-city travel for the celebration of Aid Al-Adha three times. “Some have concluded that this is just a ‘talk’ and nothing more than verbiage. Now we are faced with a painful reality with over 1000 confirmed cases recorded daily,” said El Othmani.