The Moroccan embassy in Australia has set up a monitoring and support unit for the Moroccan community in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Moroccan tourists in these two countries, since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
The diplomatic representation publishes on its social media accounts regular updates on the development of the situation in Australia and New Zealand and the precautionary measures issued by local authorities to fight against the spread of the pandemic, the embassy says in a release, adding it has provided a hotline to members of the Moroccan community (+61 404 785 404) to enable them to contact the relevant services when necessary.
Following the suspension of air traffic by the Australian authorities and the cancellation of all flights to and from the country, the embassy said that it is closely monitoring the situation with a view to helping stranded Moroccan citizens.
To this end, it maintains permanent contact with the competent local authorities to exchange information and coordinate on this issue.
On this occasion, Morocco's ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Karim Medrek, reiterated to the members of the Moroccan community the support of the embassy, urging them to implement all the precautionary measures recommended by the Australian and New Zealand local authorities.
Nearly twenty Moroccan visitors to Australia are stranded in the mainland, while a Moroccan national on the coronavirus-stricken MS Artania cruise ship is still off the Australian coast.
Australia has closed its borders to non-resident foreigners to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has caused the death of eleven people, while 3,039 cases were confirmed.