Overcrowding in Major Moroccan Cities Fuels COVID-19 Spread, Study Warns

It is in a note entitled "Geo-demographic approach to major risks of exposure to coronavirus transmission" that the HCP drew the authorities’ attention to the risk of the coronavirus spreading within these cities. According to the health statistics of May 24, "86% of the 7,532 people affected by the coronavirus in Morocco come from the five most densely populated regions of the kingdom, or nearly nine cases out of ten".

Since the beginning of the epidemic, the regions of Casablanca-Settat (32.6%), Marrakech-Safi (17.6%), Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma (13.8%), Fès-Meknès (13.2%) and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (9.2%) have always stood out with the highest contamination rates.

The HCP also points out that the fact that these areas are concentrated in terms of industrial activities increases the risk of contamination and "allows faster transmission of the virus due to frequent movements and contacts between people". It adds that "the more urbanized the regions, the more logistical challenges to inform, supervise and, if possible, isolate the largest number of people at risk would be important".

According to the data published by the HCP, the urban density at the national level is 1,986 inhabitants per square kilometer, while "the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region has the highest urban density with 4,007 inhabitants per square kilometer, followed by the regions of Casablanca-Settat, Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Fès-Meknès, with respectively 3,975, 3,431 and 3,369 inhabitants per square kilometer".

At the same time, "the regions of Dakhla-Oued Ed Dahab and Souss-Massa have low urban densities not exceeding 600 inhabitants per square kilometer," the same source specifies.