Responding to an oral question at the House of Advisors on the results of measures taken to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, the Minister said that during these control operations, nearly 150 units contravening regulations were ordered to comply with the preventive measures.

Laftit noted that the local authorities ensure that test operations are carried out for the benefit of employees of companies, production units and shopping centers, staff of penitentiaries and prisoners, taxi drivers, sellers at fish, fruit and vegetable wholesale markets, and employees at slaughterhouses and gas stations to detect cases of infection.

In this regard, the Minister said that until June 1, 115,000 employees of commercial and industrial units took the Covid-19 test, of which 783 cases were positive, as well as 34,240 taxi drivers (including 11 positive cases) in 77 provinces and regions, adding that until last May 28, 9,213 tests had been taken by employees of prisons and prisoners.

In addition, Laftit highlighted the Wiqaytna telephone application, launched in coordination between the Ministries of the Interior and of Health, with the aim of notifying a possible exposure to the new coronavirus, calling in this regard citizens to interact positively with this initiative, by downloading the application which will establish an additional channel for tracking and identifying contact persons. It also concerns taking the right decisions to contain the spread of the pandemic.

In addition, the Minister stressed that the State has been able, thanks to numerous measures, to preserve the health of Moroccan citizens, by showing firmness towards all attempts to disrupt national efforts and the state of health emergency and by adopting a strict control approach in public areas by local authorities and security services.

In this regard, he noted that security surveillance operations conducted since the declaration of the state of health emergency on March 24, 2020, until May 22, 2020, led to legal proceedings initiated against 91,623 people for violation of the state of health emergency and other offences, of which 4.7% (or 4,362) are placed in police custody.

The Minister asserted that the implementation of the restrictive approach cannot take place without an intense communication campaign carried out by the public authorities through the media and direct communication with the local population to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of respecting health measures.

He noted that the success of efforts by the state and society in the fight against the pandemic have embarrassed some parties that did not hesitate to adopt an opportunistic approach, underestimating the efforts made at each stage of the implementation of the state of health emergency, and spreading nihilistic messages aimed at sowing frustration.

The Interior Ministry, in coordination with all the departments concerned, will continue to work during the next stage with the same spirit of mobilization and determination, in order to ensure the protection of society and the national economy, he assured, emphasizing in this regard the positive results achieved since the beginning of the state of health emergency.