By Souad El Skaf

DUBAI — Morocco confirmed on Saturday that the total number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 18, including Transport, Logistics and Water Minister Abdelkader Amara who contracted the virus while on a European trip, the state news agency said.

A statement by the ministry said that the minister is in quarantine at his home for two weeks.

One of the cases was locally transmitted. One person has died and another has recovered from the virus.

Morocco has also suspended flights to and from another 25 countries over coronavirus fears, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, extending an earlier travel ban that covered China, Spain, Italy, France and Algeria.

Other countries with which air travel is now suspended are Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Senegal, Switzerland, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and the UAE.

The government has closed all schools and cancelled gatherings of more than 50 people to stop the coronavirus spreading. — Al Arabiya English