RABAT, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Morocco announced on Wednesday that it will reopen gradually its "air and sea" borders as of July 14, but only for "Moroccan citizens and foreign residents" in the North African country.
"The Moroccan airlines will schedule all the necessary flights for this operation," said a joint statement by the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, and health.
Ferries exclusively from the French port Sete and Italian port Genoa will be allowed to serve Moroccan ports during this operation.
The statement added that all passengers will have to present a PCR test result of less than 48 hours.
After three months of total lockdown, Morocco has relaxed travel restrictions inside the country and allowed cafes and restaurants to reopen as of June 25, without exceeding 50 percent of their capacities.
Shopping malls, commercial centers, leisure and entertainment stores were also allowed to open and public transport between cities and domestic flights also resumed on June 25, according to specific conditions.
A total of 164 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Morocco on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections to 14,771, while 242 people died.
China has helped Morocco in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
A batch of medical supplies donated by the government of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was transported on June 8 to Casablanca-Settat in Morocco.
On May 14, China Development Bank sent a batch of donation, including respirators and medical protective masks, to Morocco to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
China's Guizhou Province has also donated 15,000 surgical gloves, 20,000 medical masks and 2,000 protective suits to help Moroccan medical workers fight the pandemic. Enditem
