Covid-19 : Lifting the lockdown depends on the spread of the virus in the coming two weeks

Lifting the state of health emergency depends on the drop of cases in the coming weeks, said on Thursday Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb.

Interviewed by 2M TV channel, Ait Taleb highlighted three prerequisites to end the state of health emergency in force until May 20. First of all the drop in the indicator "R zero" which measures the reproduction of the virus, he explained, adding that it must be less than 1 during two weeks, thus mirroring a decline of the average number of people infected by a contaminated person.

The other two conditions are related to the decrease in the number of new infections as well as the rate of positive cases after the generalization of diagnostic tests for contact persons, he said.

The Minister also welcomed the relevance of the choices and the preventive approach by the Kingdom to counter the coronavirus pandemic, in particular the health confinement, the use of Chloroquine and the compulsory wearing of face masks. Without forgetting the awareness by citizens of the benefits of the health emergency decision, a fact which greatly helped to keep the situation under control, he added.

Ait Taleb insisted on the need to be vigilant in the fight against the pandemic, while stressing the effectiveness of Chloroquine, whether in the treatment of critical cases or mild ones.