Morocco Sees 91% Spike in Covid Cases, Straining ICUs

During the period from July 6 to 19, positive Covid cases skyrocketed. "Serious new infections have increased from 236 to 413 on Monday, an increase of 75%, and the total death toll reached 9,466 cases as of July 19, 2021, a fatality rate of 1.7%, below the global average of 2.2%," said the head of the communicable diseases division, Abdelkrim Meziane Bellefquih, during his presentation of the biweekly report on the epidemiological situation, stressing that this trend concerns all regions of the country without exception. For his part, the head of the intensive care unit at the Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Professor Houssine Barrou, contacted by Le Matin, warns against the progression of the situation of admissions to intensive care and the number of deaths among young people. Thus, a third service of 24 beds has just been opened to accommodate serious cases.

Moreover, it is not the means, structures, medicines, or equipment that are really lacking to fight this scourge, but rather the effective awareness of citizens to the danger posed by the situation, added the official, noting that he remains "pessimistic" for the coming days, given the gatherings, including wedding celebrations, parties and others observed in recent times, while recalling that similar situations led to a disaster last year.

It is therefore important that citizens take responsibility and be in solidarity for an effective fight against the pandemic. Already, Professor Barrou is urging the population to get vaccinated because "the intensive care unit is full to bursting with unvaccinated people who have severe forms of the disease. It’s serious, you absolutely have to go to the vaccination centers to get vaccinated," he said. In addition, compliance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health is still the order of the day. Not to mention that a possible re-containment is conceivable if the situation persists.