The Ministry of Health sent its delegates in Casablanca notes instructing hospitals to begin preparing and equipping isolation and treatment units for Covid-19 patients that might need hospitalization as the Omicron variant spreads, according to a memorandum seen by Hespress.
Casablanca appeared as an early hotspot of the Omicron outbreak in Morocco, when an initial first case was identified on Dec. 15. The city has since accounted for 14 out of 28 cases of Omicron recorded in the country.
Local authorities were ordered to roll out public awareness campaigns in hopes of reinstating social distancing and mask-wearing that have faded off in the last months when cases dropped and restrictions were relaxed.
The government has not announced any plans to reintroduce curfews and further limitations, but recent statements from its spokesperson indicate possible reintroduction of measures if the situation worsens. So far, the country has 101 suspected Omicron cases.
Research coming from countries where Omicron is spreading fast is showing that infection rates are bound to rise – in areas with community transition, cases double in one and a half to three days, according to the World health organization.
It is less certain however if an Omicron-driven wave will also drive up hospitalization and deaths. Preliminary research conducted by the UK’s public health agency suggests it wouldn’t. It shows 50 percent and 70 percent less possibility for Omicron to lead to hospitalization compared to the Delta strain.
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