As of this Sunday, the African country has a favourable number of few infections after recovering from the third wave of infection in the area since August

La incidencia de contagios por COVID-19 baja en Marruecos

photo_camera AFP/FADEL SENNA - Moroccans wearing masks in Rabat

Morocco has recovered a favourable number of SARS-CoV-2 infections since Sunday 18 October. According to Mouad Merabet, coordinator of the National Centre for Public Health Emergency Operations of the Ministry of Health, the situation is getting better and better. On his LinkedIn account, Merabet commented that the newly recorded infection rate is 3.5 per cent, the lowest since 16 weeks ago, when the country was in the third wave of the pandemic. The weekly incidence of infection has fallen to 8/100,000 people, along with the number of deaths.

The North African country is therefore at one of its best moments since the first infections in March 2020. The virus replication rate is 0.91 (+/- 0.02), probably due to the administration of vaccines in the Moroccan population, although the area is still declared in a state of "Severe COVID", because, although the numbers are decreasing, there are still two regions that are at an orange level of infections and deaths. New infections were recorded with 112 in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra zone, 68 in Casablanca-Setta, 26 in Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, where the largest outbreaks are to be found.

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Hospitalisations due to coronavirus are also on the decline. Merabet reported that 233 people have been admitted to hospital intensive care and palliative care units, but the number of discharges is 382 people, which shows a very favourable development of events. 

There are already 942,132 people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus since the first case in 2020 and, although the risk of contagion is getting lower, the coordinator of the National Centre for Public Health Emergency Operations stressed that the rules and recommendations provided by the Ministry of Health, such as the use of masks, individual prevention of each citizen, must still be respected and used. In addition, he also stressed the effectiveness of vaccinations, encouraging those who are not vaccinated to do so in order to avoid further infections, deaths and possible damage due to the disease. "The green cross does not mean the end of the wave," Merabet noted in his report.

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Thanks to these declines, the country has been able to lift several restrictions that have been in place since the start of the pandemic and due to the third and most virulent wave of the pandemic. According to a report by the Moroccan State News Agency, MAP, Moroccans will be able to travel between provinces, provided they are vaccinated and in possession of a certificate, or under exemptions granted by the authorities in those places. Hotels and shops will also be allowed to close until 23:00 hours, with a 50% capacity; public transport will allow 75% of passengers to enter; hamams and gyms will open until 50% capacity is reached; and open-air activities will be allowed for a maximum of 50 people per event, provided they are permitted by the competent authorities.

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One of the reasons for these improvements is due to the vaccination of the population. Morocco is the country on the African continent with the highest number of vaccinated people, 52% of the total population. Earlier this month, we learned that the government had approved a booster vaccination, with the application of a third dose. Since the start of this process, 20,925,569 people have received the two doses, according to international scientific recommendations and the National Scientific Committee on Vaccines. Today, more than 700,000 people have received this third jab and the health service is calling on both resident Moroccans and foreigners to receive another dose to protect themselves, their families and the country as a whole.

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