RABAT (Reuters) – Morocco made wearing face masks mandatory starting on Tuesday for anyone allowed to go out during the coronavirus outbreak, the government said.
The masks will be sold at a subsidised price of 0.8 dirhams ($0.08) per unit. Those who fail to comply face prison sentences of up to three months and a fine of up to 1,300 dirhams, the government said in a statement on Monday.
Morocco plans to increase its daily mask production capacity to near 6 million next week from 3.3 million currently, Industry Ministry spokesman Taoufiq Moucharraf told Reuters.
Textile factories across the country have been encouraged to produce face masks, he said.
Morocco, which has imposed a month-long lockdown, confirmed as of Monday 1,120 coronavirus cases and 80 deaths.
(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Peter Cooney)