Morocco to ban arrivals from China over COVID surge

Morocco will impose a ban on people arriving from China, whatever their nationality, from Jan. 3 to avert any new wave of coronavirus infections, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Several countries have imposed restrictions on travellers from China due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Thousands of tourists visit Morocco from China every year, usually travelling on flights that come via the Gulf.

In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world's strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, putting its battered economy on course for a complete re-opening next year.

But the lifting of restrictions has led to COVID spreading largely unchecked and likely infecting millions of people a day there, according to some international health experts.

Recently, the United States said it will impose mandatory COVID-19 tests on travellers from China, joining India, Italy, Japan and Taiwan in taking new measures after Beijing's decision to lift stringent zero-COVID policies.