Covid-19 : Seven cattle markets closed for non-compliance with required health measures in Morocco

Seven cattle souks (markets) intended for the sacrifice of Eid Al Adha have been closed for failure to comply with the health measures required to prevent the spread of Covid19, said on Tuesday a joint statement by the Ministries of Interior and Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests.

The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests have closed several souks across the Kingdom on the basis of the observations and recommendations of the local market monitoring commissions in accordance with the guide published jointly on this matter, added the same source, specifying that in total, seven markets were closed for non-compliance with the required health measures.

They are the Souk Al Had in Sidi Bouknadel-Salé (Region of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra) closed on July 27, the Souk el Arba el Aounate in the Province of Sidi Bennour (Region of Casablanca-Settat) which will be closed as of July 29 and Souk Had Lfraita in the Province of El Kelaa des Sraghnas (Marrakech-Safi Region), closed on July 27.

In the region of Fèz-Meknes, 3 souks namely bouderbala (Boubidmane Commune), sebt jahjouh and Ras Jerry were shut down on July 20, underlined the statement, noting that at the level of the region of Beni Mellal-Khénifra, souk Ait Ishak in Khenifra was closed on July 28.

The competent services of the two Ministries remain mobilized, in close coordination with the departments, establishments, communes and professional organizations concerned, to ensure compliance with the sanitary conditions and the measures required at the level of the souks, the control of the transport of animals intended for Eid as well as for the respect of sanitary measures on the day of Eid by those involved in the slaughtering process, said the same source, recalling that the preventive sanitary measures to be respected have been published in a practical guide which has been widely disseminated.

This guide indicates the organizational measures to be implemented in the cattle markets intended for Eid Al Adha, in terms of layout and access, as well as the sanitary measures to be observed on Eid day by butchers and related trades, underlined the source.