Morocco’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection has confirmed that no epidemic outbreaks have been recorded following the exceptional floods that recently hit the city of Ksar El Kebir and the wider Gharb region, according to Jawad Hamou, acting director of epidemiology and disease control.
Speaking to Hespress, Hamou said the ministry activated a central epidemiological surveillance and environmental risk prevention system as soon as the flooding began. After assessing conditions on the ground, authorities established a response mechanism built around three pillars: urgent public health risk management, continuity of essential healthcare services, and reinforced epidemiological monitoring.
The first phase focused on preventing risks linked to contaminated drinking water, sewage overflow and poor air quality in crowded shelters, which can contribute to the spread of infectious diseases such as meningitis and viral hepatitis. Health officials closely monitored mandatory notifiable diseases, including meningitis, food poisoning, measles and malaria. Only nine cases of respiratory infections were detected, a figure Hamou said is consistent with seasonal winter illnesses and does not raise concern.
The second pillar ensured uninterrupted care for vulnerable patients, particularly those undergoing continuous treatment for tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes and hypertension. The third pillar involved strengthening epidemiological surveillance through event based monitoring, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and other partners to report any potential outbreak.
Environmental monitoring included testing drinking water distribution networks and household water tanks, inspecting sanitation systems, analyzing food distributed in shelters, conducting vector control operations targeting insects and rodents, and disinfecting temporary accommodation centers.
As residents gradually return home, ministry teams continue field visits to monitor water quality, sanitation conditions and potential disease vectors, while ensuring that patients with chronic conditions maintain access to treatment either through reopened local health centers or direct medication provision.
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