Morocco: Tourism in the time of Covid-19F

Morocco: Tourism in the time of Covid-19F

Fnideq, Morocco, March 14, 2020 – Tourists were stranded in Morocco on Saturday after the kingdom announced strict border restrictions in response to the coronavirus, leaving travellers stuck at borders, ports and airports. “We are lost!” said David,...
European expat brings first COVID-19 case to MauritaniaF

European expat brings first COVID-19 case to MauritaniaF

Nouakchott, March 14, 2020 – Mauritania has confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus, the country’s health minister said on Friday, adding to the growing number of cases in West Africa. In a televised statement, Health Minister Mohamed Nedhirou Ould...
Libya: While COVID19-free, Libya announces preventive measuresF

Libya: While COVID19-free, Libya announces preventive measuresF

Tripoli, March 13, 2020 – Libya’s rival governments on Friday both announced a two-week closure of schools and universities over fears of the novel coronavirus arriving in the country. The education ministries of the Tripoli-based unity government and its...
Morocco suspends major travel linksF

Morocco suspends major travel linksF

MEA Risk Brief: In a drastic move aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus, Morocco announced the suspension of air and sea travel to and from France. Morocco already has seven confirmed cases of COVID-19, and one patient has already died. The Kingdom has...
Food and grocery shopping skyrockets in TunisiaF

Food and grocery shopping skyrockets in TunisiaF

MEA Risk Brief: The average daily purchases of food products in Tunisia, including couscous, semolina, flour, pasta, etc., have skyrocketed these days, increasing tenfold in some parts, according to research from the Tunisia news agency TAP. Detergent and bleach...
Morocco suspends major travel linksF

Algeria reports second COVID-19 deathF

Algiers, March 12, 2020 – Algeria has registered two deaths from the novel coronavirus, the health ministry announced Thursday, as schools were closed for three weeks. The first case was a man, aged 67, who had heart disease, the ministry’s director...
Morocco suspends major travel linksF

Morocco closes border with Ceuta and MelillaF

Madrid, March 13, 2020 – Morocco closed the border with Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s two North African enclaves, early on Friday to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, officials said. The decision, which was taken by Rabat, shuts down the only land...
Algeria registers first coronavirus deathF

Algeria registers first coronavirus deathF

Algiers, March 12, 2020 (AFP) – Algeria has registered its first death from the novel coronavirus, the health ministry announced on Thursday. No further details on the death were provided in the ministry statement, cited by the official APS press agency. Another...
Tunisians rush to buy garlic to fight coronavirusF

Tunisians rush to buy garlic to fight coronavirusF

Tunis, March 12, 2020 – The price of garlic has shot up in Tunisia amid a buying rush as consumers hope it will help protect against the new coronavirus, despite caution from the World Health Organization. In Tunisia’s central market this week, and in...
Libya still officially coronavirus-freeF

Libya still officially coronavirus-freeF

Tripoli, March 11, 2020 -By Jihad Dorgham- Despite advice from health authorities to shun public gatherings, Moayed al-Missaoui and friends watched an Italian Serie A football match in a buzzing cafe in the Libyan capital Tripoli. While the novel coronavirus has...
Sahel: More killings in MaliF

Sahel: More killings in MaliF

Bamako, March 11, 2020  – Unidentified gunmen killed 10 people and burned down a village in central Mali, local officials said Wednesday, the latest bloodshed in a region wracked by jihadist and inter-ethnic violence. The attackers raided the village of...
Morocco: First coronavirus death in CasablancaF

Morocco: First coronavirus death in CasablancaF

Rabat, March 10, 2020 – Morocco’s health ministry said Tuesday the country had recorded its first death linked to the new coronavirus, an 89-year-old woman who suffered from chronic health problems. The woman, a Moroccan citizen who had been living in...
Egypt: First death in Egypt’s coronavirus outbreakF

Egypt: First death in Egypt’s coronavirus outbreakF

Luxor, Egypt, March 9, 2020 – Scores of foreign tourists and Egyptian crew Monday remained quarantined aboard a Nile River cruise ship from which 45 suspected coronavirus cases have been evacuated, people aboard told AFP. US, French and Indian nationals were...
Egypt: New coronavirus cases detected in EgyptF

Egypt: New coronavirus cases detected in EgyptF

Cairo, March 6, 2020 – Egypt detected 12 new cases Friday of the novel coronavirus among workers aboard a Nile cruise boat heading from Aswan to Luxor, a health ministry statement said.  “Twelve new cases tested positive for the coronavirus among Egyptian...