After positive coronavirus cases were reported among passengers, a Moroccan cruise ship refused to dock in Morocco. Local media reported Wednesday, June 8th.
The liner “Mein Schiff Heart”, belonging to Tui Cruises in Germany, arrived from Lisbon. It was due to dock Tuesday morning at Tangier-Ville.
The port authorities banned it from disembarking passengers on board, mostly Germans, “on account of a report received in Morocco by the health authorities which indicated an increase of cases of Covid-19 infections among passengers,” says the information site Le360.
The “Mein Schiff Herz”, a Maltese flag-flying vessel, can carry 1,900 passengers and 780 crew members. It is classified as a large cruise liner.
Morocco raised its vigilance level from “low” to “medium orange” Tuesday when it was faced with an increase in the spread of the virus in major cities.
Doctor Mouad Mrabet (head of emergency operations at Ministry of Health) urged the public to use a mask even though there are fewer deaths and more new patients admitted to ICUs.
After two years of lost tourism season due to the pandemic and as Morocco prepares to host at least three million European expatriate citizens for the summer holiday, this warning comes at the right time.
The kingdom lifted the requirement to pass a PCR test and to obtain a vaccination pass in order to encourage foreign tourists to return to its territory. This was done to support a crucial sector of the country’s economy.
