Moroccan medics isolated from families have lonely Ramadan
Nurse anaesthetist Teimi Hakima uses a laptop to make a video call and speak with her family in her room at hotel Dawliz which is used as a temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco. April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
The holy Muslim month of Ramadan is proving particularly lonely and challenging for 30 Moroccan doctors and nurses who have been living in a luxury hotel now for nearly seven weeks to avoid the risk of infecting their families with the new coronavirus.
They shuttle back and forth every day between the five-star Hotel Dawliz and the Moulay Abdellah hospital in Sale, located on the other side of the Bouregreg river from the capital Rabat.
"My father is asthmatic and I would never forgive myself if I took the virus home," said Mustapha Zeroual, 36, an intensive care nurse.
Nurse anaesthetist Mohammed Kabouri wearing a protective face mask shows a picture of himself while he was working at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital hotel Dawliz which is used as temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
The medics spend their free time watching television together, chatting, reading or working out, but must always stay more than a metre apart. They keep in touch with their families through phone calls and social media.
The separation is especially gruelling during Ramadan, Islam's fasting month, when people traditionally get together during the long nights with loved ones, friends and neighbours to share food and drink.
"The last time I saw my parents was from the window 15 days ago when I went home to collect some clothes," Zeroual said.
Doctor Meryem Bouchbika wearing a protective face mask takes a break at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
This year, Ramadan began on April 28.
"RISK IS PART OF OUR JOB"
Doctor Meryem Bouchbika and medical stuff eat lunch in the office at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
Large numbers of Moroccan healthcare workers have opted to stay in hotels since the country went into lockdown on March 20 to slow the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.
The North African country, which has about 36 million people, has so far reported 5,053 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 179 deaths.
Morocco has fewer than 1,000 intensive care doctors, so keeping them healthy is critical to its pandemic response.
Nurse anaesthetist Najwa Bellamrabet is pictured at her balcony at the hotel Dawliz which is used as temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
Many hotels across the kingdom have offered to host medical staff or to isolate mild cases until they test negative and can return home. Local authorities are paying.
Hotel Dawliz, situated on the waterfront near where the broad sweep of the Bouregreg meets the Atlantic, would normally charge upwards of $170 for a room.
But even there, the doctors and nurses find it hard to switch off from work.
Workers wearing protective suits disinfect hotel Dawliz which is used as a temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco. April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
"In our free time we continue to check on our patients. The recovery of every patient is a great victory for us all," Zeroual said.
Not all healthcare workers are staying in hotels. Some decided to take the risk of remaining with their families and must take extra precautions to avoid contagion.
Meryem Bouchbika, an intensive care doctor living with her husband and two daughters, burst into tears when speaking of the care she must take around them at home to prevent infection.
Doctor Meryem Bouchbika wearing a protective face mask takes a break at her office at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 22, 2020. Picture taken April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
"Risk is part of our job and the call of duty takes priority, but I am more concerned for my children than for myself," she said.
(Reporting by Youssef Boudlal, writing by Ahmed Eljechtimi, editing by Angus McDowall and Gareth Jones)
Doctor Meryem Bouchbika walks out form Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital to her place as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalDoctor Meryem Bouchbika hugs her two young girls before going to bed in her home as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Leila Bensghir NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVESNurse anaesthetist Jamal Bekali takes off his protective gear at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalDoctor Meryem Bouchbika and her colleague Chaima hold a sample tube as they treat COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 22, 2020. Picture taken April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalNurse Chaimaa helps Doctor Meryem Bouchbika to adjust her protective gear at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 22, 2020. Picture taken April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalDoctor Meryem Bouchbika and medical stuff watch the videos during their beak lunch in the office at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalA patient is seen in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalDoctor Meryem Bouchbika poses for a photograph with her colleague at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalNurse anaesthetist Jamal Bekali prays in his room at the hotel Dawliz which is used as temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalNurse anaesthetists Teimi Hakima and Najwa Bellamrabet practice sport at the hotel Dawliz which is used as temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco. April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalDoctor Meryem Bouchbika holds a sample tube in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 22, 2020. Picture taken April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalNurse Chaimaa helps Doctor Meryem Bouchbika to take off her protective gear at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 22, 2020. Picture taken April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalNurse anaesthetist Jamal Bekali speaks to his daughter from his room at hotel Dawliz which is used as temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sale, Morocco April 24, 2020. Picture taken 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalA patient is seen in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Prince Moulay Abdellah hospital as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Sale, Morocco April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef BoudlalNurse anaesthetist Jamal Bekali who has been living at the hotel for a month, takes his breakfast at Dawliz Hotel used as temporary shelter location for all medical stuff to increase social distancing during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Sale, Morocco April 24, 2020. Picture taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
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