Morocco Closes Fish Factory After COVID-19 Death, 48 Positive Cases

One employee died from the coronavirus and 48 other workers tested positive. This is the result of the laxity of a fish canning factory in the city of Larache, which chose to trample on the preventive measures against the pandemic. This behavior has created a major epidemic focus in the kingdom, and led the wali of the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima region to suspend the said fish factory, without prejudice to the salaries for the month of April for the employees, reports the daily Al Massae. This situation has caused panic within the company and in the province in general.

Faced with this situation, the other employees demanded screening and appropriate medical treatment. They think it would be dangerous to wait for the symptoms of covid-19 to appear. Because there could be asymptomatic carriers in their ranks. They denounce the pace of daily screening due to their workforce of 5,000 employees. 150 tests are carried out per day, some workers showing symptoms have not yet been taken care of.

The local authorities are in the sights of the city’s elected officials. They do not understand how, without respecting the preventive health and safety measures, the fish factory was allowed to continue its activities. The 48 positive cases are under health control, following the recommendations of the Ministry of Health, said the regional health delegation.

The discovery of new infection clusters calls into question the control for compliance with health measures and precautions and prevention measures in the workplace, ensured by the competent health authorities.