Morocco cafes, restaurants reopen from lockdown

Rabat's cafes and restaurants reopened their doors on Thursday for the first time in three months amid an easing of virus restrictions. The Moroccan government allowed the reopening of gyms, hair salons and restaurants in the city at 50% of their capacity. All venues have to abide by social distancing and hygiene measures. Footage showed streets in Rabat were slowly coming back to life.

''Thank God, we are free, we spent three months in a lockdown, stuck between the house and the street next door and I hope that is the last phase," said a resident.

Cafes welcomed their first customers while maintaining social distancing between tables.

''We follow the health measures, a committee came to guide us, as you can see there is duck tape between tables and a meter and a half and more between the tables," said Adib Sadika, coffee shop owner.

In the capital's neighbouring city of Sale, people flocked to the beach to enjoy the summer sun.

Morocco, where a lockdown has been in place since March 20, has reported confirmed 11,279 cases of the virus, and 216 deaths.