Morocco halts all incoming flights because of virus variant

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Morocco is suspending all incoming air travel from around the world starting Monday for two weeks because of the rapid spread of the new omicron variant of the virus. The government’s committee in charge of monitoring COVID-19 announced the move Sunday, tweeting that the decision was taken to “preserve the achievements realized by Morocco in the fight against the pandemic.” Morocco kept its borders closed for months in 2020 because of the virus. The kingdom in North Africa is in the forefront of the continent’s vaccination effort. The flight suspension was among the most dramatic of many restrictions being imposed globally as nations scramble to slow the variant’s spread.