Morocco to ban arrivals from China over COVID surge

RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco will impose a ban on people arriving from China, whatever their nationality, from Jan. 3 to avert any new wave of coronavirus infections, the foreign ministry said on Saturday.

Several countries have imposed restrictions on travellers from China due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Thousands of tourists visit Morocco from China every year, usually travelling on flights that come via the Gulf.

In an abrupt change of policy, China this month began dismantling the world's strictest COVID regime of lockdowns and extensive testing, putting its battered economy on course for a complete re-opening next year.

But the lifting of restrictions has led to COVID spreading largely unchecked and likely infecting millions of people a day there, according to some international health experts.

(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Hugh Lawson)