Morocco Reports Medium-Intensity Flu Season Amid Heightened Coronavirus Vigilance

According to the epidemiological bulletin on influenza and severe acute respiratory infections of the Ministry of Health for the month of January, the national epidemiological situation reveals a flu season of medium intensity with an epidemic peak reached between December 16 and 22, 2019, estimated at 2.17 cases of ILI per 100 consultations. The same source points out that this threshold indicates a flu season of medium intensity for the country. It also reveals a tendency to increase between December 30 and January 5.

Since the start of this campaign, some 770 nasopharyngeal samples have been taken, of which 56.9% are SARI and 43.1% are ILI, with virological analysis at the reference laboratory of the ministry, it is indicated.

Out of these 770 samples analyzed, the virological investigation allowed the characterization of 192 influenza viruses, including 1 virus of subtype A (H1N1) at 0.5%, 17 viruses of subtype A (H3N2), with a rate of 8.9% and 174 type B viruses at a rate of 90.6%. Furthermore, the ministry notes high positivity rates for the age groups 2-5 years and 5-15 years (51.2% and 61.2% respectively), most likely in relation to school exposure, as well as for the age group 15-50 years (43.1%), due to occupational exposure.

At the end of these precautionary measures, the office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Morocco specifies that the situation is in no way abnormal and is reassuring. According to the WHO, the main virus circulating for this season, in Morocco and worldwide, is the influenza A (H1N1) virus, a human virus that has been in circulation since 2010, during each flu season.