Coronavirus Fears Spark Surge in Mask Sales Across Morocco

Fear is gradually gaining ground among Moroccans, at the pace of the evolution of the pandemic. The cases detected in Italy have aggravated this situation of fear of the virus.

In pharmacies, there is a rush for masks, causing sales to explode. Pharmacists, willingly or unwillingly, are doing their utmost to find some from their usual suppliers. "At the moment, we no longer have any masks. Customers, especially those who are about to travel to high-risk countries, are asking us for them; but we tell them that we no longer have any," laments this pharmacist.

Faced with this strong demand, and given the panic that is already beginning to set in, suppliers have started to raise prices. Speculation is now gaining ground. According to another pharmacist, a simple face mask, sold for 5 dirhams before the appearance of the virus, now costs 20 dirhams.

Even China, the epicenter of the epidemic and manufacturer of these masks, has seen its production drop dramatically, explains the same pharmacist. According to her, they have therefore been forced to order them from other countries that had previously bought their stocks.