After 3 years, Morocco lets Covid emergency powers lapse

A state of emergency that had been periodically renewed by Moroccan authorities for the past three years to battle the Covid pandemic lapsed without extension on Tuesday.

First declared on March 24, 2020 as the pandemic swept across the globe, the emergency had allowed authorities to take exceptional measure to battle the spread of the virus, including lockdowns, border closures and restrictions on movement and gatherings, including sports events. 

In recent months, the powers had been used to prevent protests over soaring living costs in the kingdom.

On Monday, Morocco's airports authority had already announced that travelers would no longer have to present health documents on arrival, removing the last anti-coronavirus measure still in place.

Since September, the country has seen a negligible number of coronavirus cases, according to the health ministry.

The Covid-19 pandemic left more than 16,000 dead among Morocco's 36 million inhabitants, according to official figures.