Coronavirus: Morocco bans UK flights due to rising Covid-19 rates

Morocco is banning flights to and from the UK due to rising coronavirus case rates.

Airlines cancelled several flights between the countries on Wednesday ahead of the suspension coming into effect at 11.59pm.

Latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control show that the North African nation’s weekly rate of reported coronavirus cases on October 14 stood at just 10.4 per 100,000 people.

The current rate in the UK is 445.5 per 100,000 people.

EasyJet, which cancelled a flight from Gatwick to Marrakech on Wednesday, told passengers: “As we’ll be unable to fly to Morocco in order to operate any return flights after today, we’ve taken the decision to cancel your flight with us today.”

British Airways cancelled a flight from Heathrow to the same destination.

The flight ban will affect families in England and Wales who booked half-term holidays in Morocco for next week.

Morocco’s National Office of Airports said the policy will remain in place “until further notice”.

The country is also banning flights to and from Germany and the Netherlands.