Morocco’s COVID-19 Deaths Surge as Hospital Beds Fill Up

The number of deaths is exploding in the kingdom due to the difficulty of access to care, explains the daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, recalling that since August, the daily statistics provided by the Ministry of Health have shown an increase in cases and especially deaths, at a rate of 35 to 49 Covid-19 deaths. This situation is explained by the increase in serious cases requiring care. Very quickly, the hospitals are overwhelmed; the beds are congested.

The case of Moulay Youssef hospital in Casablanca is quite illustrative, with 525 cases as of October 14, including about sixty under intubation. The fewer available beds, the more difficult access to care for seriously ill patients. The consequence, the number of deaths is exploding.

The delay in the care of patients would also be a reason for the increase in deaths, said Driss Habachi, an expert at the Pasteur Institute of Casablanca. Many patients, particularly those suffering from chronic diseases or the elderly, arrive at care generally a week after infection. Late enough for good care, based on the standard care protocol, noted the specialist.

For the director of the biotechnology laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, Professor Azzedine Ibrahimi, the high number of deaths would also be the consequence of the lifting of confinement.

Although for the moment, Morocco remains in line with the global scale, the virus continues to produce critical cases, and hospitals continue to overflow. This calls for the absolute commitment of everyone, in respecting barrier gestures to curb its spread, said Mouad El Mourabit, coordinator of the national public health emergency operations center.