Director of Epidemiology Mohamed El Youbi announced the discovery of two new epicenters in Tangier
Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health has confirmed 15 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 2,685 as of April 18 at 6 p.m.
In the past 24 hours, the ministry has confirmed 121 new cases, two additional deaths, and 33 new recoveries. The death toll stands at 137 while the number of recoveries has reached 314.
Director of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Health Mohamed El Youbi said that most of the cases were detected among people who had come into contact with COVID-19 patients.
El Youbi also noted that the ministry only recorded one case in an industrial facility in Casablanca that saw a dramatic surge in cases two days ago. The health official added that no cases have been reported in the country’s other COVID-19 epicenters in Nador and Fez.
He also announced the discovery of two new epicenters: An industrial zone in Tangier where 9 cases have been confirmed, and a family of 9 who were infected in the same city.
Geographic distribution of the pandemic
With 28% of the country’s reported infections, the Casablanca-Settat region still records the highest number of cases (760), followed by Marrakech-Safi (663, 24%), Fez-Meknes (386, 14%), Rabat-Sale-Kenitra (262, 10%), and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (283, 11%).
The Oriental region has counted 148 cases, Draa-Tafilalet has 83, Beni Mellal-Khenifra has recorded 58, and Souss-Massa has reported 35 in total.
Meanwhile, the southernmost regions of Morocco did not report any new cases but did witness COVID-19 patient recoveries in Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra and in Dakhla-Oued Ed Edahab.