RABAT, Morocco

Morocco on Saturday announced it would ease restrictive measures imposed to curb the novel coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, the health and interior ministries said the relaxation would take place in all areas as of June 24 except for the Marrakesh, Larache, Kenitra and Tangier-Asilah provinces.

Morocco has been on lockdown since March 20.

The two ministries said the decision to ease the lockdown was based on data from tracking efforts of the epidemiological situation in the kingdom.

Moroccan authorities have so far reported 9,613 confirmed cases, including 213 deaths.

The pandemic has killed more than 460,200 worldwide, with more than 8.67 million confirmed cases, while recoveries have surpassed 4.25 million, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US. 

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara