Compliance with Precautionary Measures, Key to Stemming Increase in Covid-19 Cases - Ministry

The Ministry of Health reaffirmed Tuesday that compliance with precautionary measures remains the key to stemming the spike in coronavirus cases (Covid-19).

“At the beginning of August, the epidemiological situation in Morocco has worsened,” said the coordinator of the National Center for Public Health Emergency Operations at the Ministry of Health, Mouad Mrabet, in the ministry’s weekly statement on the evolution of the epidemiological situation of the pandemic, noting that “the solution is in our hands”.

“The solution is to comply with the precautionary measures that have proven their effectiveness before, in particular wearing masks, respecting physical distancing of approximately one meter, washing hands with soap and water and using hydro-alcoholic disinfectants, avoiding gatherings and leaving home regularly, except in cases of extreme emergency, and using ventilation at rooms and offices,” he added.

Commenting the assessment of the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom, the official noted that the total number of Covid-19 cases recorded until August 16 has reached 42,489, i.e. a cumulative incidence rate of 117 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Moreover, the number of deaths rose to 658 and that of cured people reached 29,344, i.e. a recovery rate of 69%, he added.

Regarding the Covid-19 cases recorded between August 10 and August 16, their number reached 9,252 cases (i.e. around 22% of all cases recorded since the outbreak of the pandemic), with a cumulative incidence rate of 25.45 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while the number of deaths rose to 160 cases, or 24.3% of the total number, he said.

During the same week, 5,997 people have recovered, while the weekly rate of infection (per 100,000 inhabitants) rose from 21 to 25 cases, he added.

In terms of the geographic spread of the pandemic, the weekly incidence rate (per 100,000 inhabitants) reveals that there is a difference between regions, within regions and between provinces, since 37 provinces have recorded an incidence rate of -10/100,000 inhabitants, according to him.

Four provinces and cities have registered an incidence rate of more than 50/100,000 inhabitants, namely Grand Casablanca, Marrakech, Tangier and Beni Mellal, Mrabet pointed out, adding that the number of weekly deaths has continued to increase from 116 cases last week to 160 deaths the following week, or 305 deaths during the first half of August.

As for active cases, the number has increased from 34 to 35 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and differs by region, given that until August 16, some regions have recorded less than 15 active cases (per 100,000 inhabitants) in namely the Oriental, Souss-Massa, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Laayoune-Sakia Al Hamra, while others have reported between 15 and 30 cases (per 100,000 inhabitants), namely Rabat-Salé-Kenitra and Drâa-Tafilalet, Mrabet noted.

The regions of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Fez-Meknes and Beni Mellal-Khenifra have recorded between 30 and 45 active cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while the regions of Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi and Dakhla-Oued Eddahab have reported more than 45 active cases per 100,000 inhabitants, he said.

According to the official, this data has led the Kingdom to position itself 52nd globally in terms of the number of cases (5th in Africa), 54th in terms of number of deaths (6th in Africa) and 33rd in terms of screening (3rd in Africa).