US Embassy Warns of Diphtheria Outbreak in Morocco, With 15 Cases Confirmed

The alert was issued on October 15 by the US Embassy in Rabat. In its official statement, the diplomatic mission refers to several diphtheria clusters reported by Morocco’s Ministry of Health since September 28. It recommends that US citizens living in Morocco or planning to travel there check their vaccination protection.

According to the figures released on October 14 by Moroccan health authorities, 15 diphtheria cases have been confirmed across the country. Infections are concentrated mainly in the Casablanca-Settat and Souss-Massa regions. The first family clusters were identified in Agadir Ida-Outanane and Chtouka Aït Baha, as also reported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

US recommends checking vaccinations

The US Embassy assesses the risk to its nationals in Morocco as low. It advises them to check their own and their children’s vaccination records. For adults, it recalls the US recommendation for a diphtheria booster every ten years, using Td or Tdap vaccines depending on their vaccination history.

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted through coughing and sneezing, among other ways. It can cause a sore throat, fever, swelling of the neck and the formation of a grayish membrane in the throat. Severe cases can lead to breathing difficulties and require urgent medical care.

Moroccan health authorities have begun tracing people who have been in contact with patients, as well as providing preventive treatment and targeted vaccinations. The Embassy recommends seeing a doctor promptly if suspicious symptoms develop, particularly difficulty swallowing or breathing.

Vaccination remains the main protection against this infection. Morocco’s Ministry of Health is urging families to ensure children receive all the doses included in the national vaccination schedule.