People wearing face masks pray in a mosque in Rabat, Morocco, on Oct. 16, 2020. Morocco on Friday reported 3,498 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day increase so far, taking the number of infections in the country since March 2 to 167,148. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua)
RABAT, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Morocco on Friday reported 3,498 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day increase so far, taking the number of infections in the country since March 2 to 167,148.
The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 138,989 after 2,953 new ones were added, the ministry of health said in a statement.
The death toll rose to 2,818 with 46 new fatalities during the last 24 hours, while 546 people are in intensive care units.
Casablanca remains the worst-hit region in the North African country with 1,723 newly confirmed cases and 17 deaths during the last 24 hours.
Earlier in the day, Morocco increased the number of mosques allowed to reopen to 10,000 from 5,000 previously, after more than seven months of closure.
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 help Morocco fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
China's Guizhou Province also donated 15,000 surgical gloves, 20,000 medical masks and 2,000 protective suits to help protect Moroccan medical workers fighting the pandemic.
