Morocco Witnesses Slight Uptick in COVID-19 Cases, But No New Deaths

Saturday 16 December 2023 - 12:00

Morocco has recorded 99 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, indicating a minor increase in infections across the country, according to the latest figures released on Friday by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Notably, there were no additional deaths reported, underscoring a promising sign of continued recovery.

The weekly report, covering the period from December 9 to December 15, revealed that cases were primarily concentrated in Rabat-Salé-Kenitra (44 infections) and Souss-Massa (18 infections), with smaller clusters identified in other regions such as Casablanca-Settat (16 cases).

The latest tally brings Morocco’s total confirmed coronavirus cases to 1,278,055 since the beginning of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the death toll remains unchanged at 16,298, with the fatality rate holding steady at 1.3% of diagnosed cases. Currently, only 106 active infections are under care.

On the vaccination front, nearly 25 million Moroccans have received an initial dose, while over 23 million have completed the full two-dose inoculation protocol. Additionally, close to 7 million citizens have opted for a third booster shot for extra protection, with over 60,000 choosing a fourth dose.

Despite this week's marginal increase in the infection rate to 4.7%, experts remain confident in Morocco's proven strategy of rapid response vaccination drives and stringent travel restrictions to contain potential new outbreaks. However, they caution that consistent public adherence to safety protocols, such as mask-wearing and social distancing, remains crucial as the fight against new viral variants continues.