In the Maghreb, early measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus

Text by: Magali Lagrange Follow

Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia reacted early to the arrival of Covid-19 on their soil, coming from European countries.

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The measures taken in the Maghreb in recent months have made it possible to limit the impact of the disease, but Morocco and Algeria are nonetheless among the most affected countries on the African continent, behind South Africa and the Egypt. Tunisia has not registered any new cases since the beginning of this week. The three countries are now anticipating the economic and social consequences of the health crisis.

In Algeria, a high mortality rate

With more than 6,000 cases of coronavirus identified, Algeria is today the 4th most affected country in Africa.

The first case is confirmed there at the end of February. The announcement was made on national television by the Minister of Health, Abderrahmane Benbouzid. The patient - an Italian national who arrived on Algerian soil a week earlier - is placed in quarantine . A few days later, at the beginning of March, other cases are confirmed in the wilaya (prefecture) of Blida, which will become the main focus of the disease. Sixteen members of the same family are infected. All the first cases are imported from Europe.

In addition to the closure of schools and universities , the suspension of Air Algerie flights from and to Spain, Italy, France and Morocco is therefore among the first measures adopted by Algeria in mid-March . All land borders are then closed, and passenger transport flights suspended. The country cancels sporting events and forces the closure of restaurants, cafes and village halls. Containment measures are implemented: total for the wilaya of Blida and partial for all the other regions. Containment is in effect until May 29, after the end of Ramadan. Many businesses, reopened at the start of the fasting month, had to be closed again, due to the non-compliance with the distancing.

With 536 deaths for 6,629 confirmed cases as of May 15, Algeria has a high coronavirus-related mortality rate (around 8%). Measures to control the spread of the disease are essential to compensate for the shortcomings of the public health system. Very early on, doctors complained about the lack of equipment in hospitals, of beds for resuscitation and of means of diagnosis. At the end of March, the staff of a Blida establishment organized a sit-in to denounce the lack of protection for carers, following the death of an ambulance driver.

The health crisis also has an impact on the protest movement born in February 2019, which led to the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. As part of the measures to combat the coronavirus, all gatherings and marches are prohibited by the Algerian authorities. Consequently, and as a security measure in this health context, the Hirak protesters decide to suspend their weekly demonstrations. Since Friday March 20, which should have been the 57th, Algerians no longer take to the streets as they did for over a year to demand a change to the system in place. However, the arrests have not stopped. Civil society organizations accuse the power of wanting to take control during this health truce.

Another area in which the coronavirus has an impact: the economy, which was already going through a delicate period before the start of the health crisis. Difficulties accentuated by the fall in oil and gas prices, since hydrocarbons represent more than 90% of Algerian exports. To take into account this brutal decrease, the Algerian authorities decide, at the beginning of May, to reduce the state's operating budget for 2020 by 50%. At the same time, fearing a socio-economic crisis , they promise an increase of 11% in the minimum monthly income from June.

In Morocco, strict measures and controls

With 6,623 confirmed cases including 190 deaths (figures from May 14), Morocco is the third most affected country on the African continent. The first confirmed case of coronavirus from Italy arrived in early March. The kingdom quickly took strict measures against the spread of the disease.

Only 7 cases are detected on its soil when it decides, in mid-March, to close its land borders. It suspended its air and maritime links to France and Spain, before extending the measure to all international and then domestic flights. Schools are closed (they will remain closed until September), as well as cultural, sports, restaurants, non-essential shops and mosques. Containment was put in place on March 20. Since the start of Ramadan, there has been a night curfew between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Monday, May 18, the Prime Minister must present a deconfinement plan to Parliament, two days before the expiration of the state of health emergency .

In some poor neighborhoods of big cities, confinement is difficult to apply. Incidents are notably reported in Tangier, Fez or Tétouan. To enforce the measures taken, Morocco deploys the police in large numbers. In case of non-compliance, Moroccans face a sentence of one to three months in prison, as well as a fine equivalent to 115 euros. Until the end of last month, the Moroccan authorities made public the number of arrests. As of April 30, 85,000 had been counted.

Another measure made compulsory by Morocco in its fight against the coronavirus: the wearing of a mask. Since April 7, Moroccans can no longer go out without wearing one. The textile factories of the country are involved and modify their usual activities to focus on their manufacture. According to figures from the Ministry of Industry, around thirty companies produce 7 million per day.

If part of the textile industry could therefore continue or resume an activity, this is not the case for all sectors. As a result of the health crisis, hundreds of thousands of employees are temporarily off work. The Moroccan government promises compensation . A few days ago, the Moroccan economic watch committee announced that compensation of 190 euros would be paid to 950,000 employees, for the month of April. Companies in difficulty will also be able to benefit from financing to revive their activity. Finally, direct aid was paid to 3.7 million families who earn their income from the informal sector, according to the same committee. This aid comes from a special emergency fund of nearly 3 billion euros, created under the impetus of King Mohammed VI.

► Also read: Covid-19 in Morocco: masks, drugs and social safety net

Tunisia: the end of contaminations ?

Tunisia has 1,032 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 45 deaths. She hasn't recorded a new one since the start of the week. This had not happened since the confirmation of the first case on Tunisian soil on March 2. As in neighboring countries, the zero patient arrives from Europe (Italy) by boat.

The health crisis began just days after the new Tunisian government, led by Elyes Fakhfakh, took office on February 28. Tunisia takes strict measures at an early stage to stop the spread of the disease, and to try not to saturate a fragile health system.

The first measures come into force in mid-March, when less than twenty cases are identified: closure of air and sea areas, schools (which will not reopen before September, except for students who pass their bac), places of worship and non-essential businesses. A night curfew was introduced, followed by general confinement. Gatherings are limited to 3 people in public space. On April 9, the Tunisian government further tightened the measures, by banning travel between wilayas. Offenders are now subject to fines.

But since May 4, due to the slowdown in the spread of the virus, containment is gradually being reduced. The curfew is now in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Supermarkets and souks were able to reopen this Friday. Cafes and mosques are expected to follow suit on May 24.

However, the authorities call on Tunisians to remain vigilant and to continue to respect hygiene, physical distancing and wearing a mask. "  There may be a return of cases tomorrow  ," said Tunisian Minister of Health Abdellatif Mekki a few days ago.

After weeks of slowdown, even paralysis of entire activity sectors, Tunisia intends to revive the economy, especially since the country has been going through an economic and social crisis for several years. The rebound experienced by tourism - a key sector for the Tunisian economy - after gloomy years, was notably stemmed by the health crisis.

The government has already announced measures to support businesses , but also for certain households, such as a deferral of loan repayments, and the guarantee that neither water nor electricity will be cut in the event of 'unpaid.

Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh warns that his country will need 5 billion euros to complete its budget this year. At the end of March, the European Union announced a donation of 250 million euros, and the IMF an emergency loan of 745 million dollars . Tunisia could experience its worst recession this year since independence in 1956.

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• Coronavirus: the response, country by country
• Coronavirus
• Maghreb
• Morocco
• Algeria
• Tunisia

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