Covid-19: 27 New Confirmed Cases in Morocco, 170 in Total (Official)

23 March 2020 Printable Version

Rabat - Twenty-seven new cases of infection with the new coronavirus (Covid-19) have been confirmed in Morocco in the last 24 hours, bringing to 170 the total number of cases of contamination, announced Tuesday director of epidemiology and disease control at the ministry of Health, Mohamed El Youbi.

The number of deaths due to the virus stands at five and the number of cured cases reaches six, he said in a statement broadcast by MAP on its channel M24 and RIM RADIO, adding that so far, 685 potential cases of Covid-19 infection have been ruled out following negative laboratory tests.

In terms of geographical distribution of cases, the Casablanca-Settat region recorded 42 cases and the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region 40 cases, followed by Fez-Meknes (36 cases), Marrakech-Safi (22), Tangier-Tetouan-El Hoceima (11), the Eastern region (7), Beni Mellal-Khénifra (04), Souss-Massa-Draa (1 case) and as many in the Guelmim-Oud Noun region. To date, no cases of contamination have been reported in the regions of Laayoune-Sakia-Hamra and Dakhla-Oud Eddahab.

By city, 41 confirmed cases were recorded in Casablanca, 23 in Rabat, 22 in Marrakech and the same number in Meknes, as well as 14 cases in Fez.

In this regard, he noted that of the 22 cases reported in Meknes, 15 were attributed to a group of tourists coming from an Arab country on board a single plane.

To date, the number of deaths due to the virus stands at five, the latest being an elderly person who arrived from the Netherlands (76 years old). The patient, he added, was suffering from a serious illness whose treatment significantly lowers the immune defences.

The official also reported one new case of recovery, an 80-year-old woman residing in Fkih Ben Saleh, bringing the total number of cured cases to six.

He pointed out that of the 170 cases confirmed so far, 97 are imported, i.e. 57%, and 73 cases concern local contamination.

In terms of the seriousness of the cases, El Youbi said that 85% of them are considered mild, while the 15% are deemed "advanced to severe".

He also indicated that 98 cases were reported during the past week, compared to 37 cases during the first two days of the current week.

Regarding the medical follow-up of the contact persons, the director revealed that out of a total of 2,878 placed under surveillance, 2,158 are still under medical supervision, while 621 have completed the 14-day period. Of the contacts monitored, 32 cases of virus infection were confirmed after laboratory tests.