Casablanca Officials Divided on Potential Lockdown as COVID-19 Cases Surge

A source within the Wilaya of Casablanca, as well as a source close to the government leadership, tell TelQuel that a re-confinement of the metropolis is not on the agenda. According to them, this is a scenario that the authorities are hardly considering.

The sources located at different levels of the health authorities think the opposite. On 2M, Nabila Rmili, regional director of health in Casablanca, said that given the uncontrollability of the virus transmission chain in the metropolis, a confinement could be considered. Other sources told Médias24 that "two scenarios were being considered for Casablanca: either a return to confinement for a short period, or ultra-draconian measures", specifying that "the first scenario would be the most likely".

Specialists also join the debate. "On the possibility of a re-confinement in Casablanca, I understand the fear of the health authorities, in the sense that limiting the spread of the virus is a necessity," says epidemiologist Jaâfar Heikel, who is also director of the De Vinci clinic where Covid-19 cases are hospitalized in Casablanca. According to him, the interest of a health confinement appears when, as in the case of Morocco, there is no vaccine, no other possibilities than this one to stop the disease.

"However, we also know that the results of a confinement are marginal and that they are not enough to completely stop the epidemic, since at some point or another, we will have to deconfine, and we will risk resuming the same pace of transmissibility," nuanced the specialist.