The current number of serious and critical COVID-19 cases in Morocco requires the mobilization of 26.3% of the country’s intensive care beds, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani announced.
According to the Ministry of Health, the number of severe COVID-19 cases stands at 539 as of Monday, October 19.
El Othmani considers the number to “not be worrying” because the epidemiological situation is stabilizing in several Moroccan regions, despite the country recording large numbers of COVID-19 infections in recent weeks.
Morocco’s fatality rate is relatively low. It now stands at 1.7%, below the global average of 2.8%.
The head of government expressed his optimism about the country’s COVID-19 indicators during a parliamentary session on Monday at the House of Representatives.
The indicators testify to the “effectiveness” of the Moroccan government’s efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic, El Othmani asserted.
The senior official affirmed that despite the eased lockdown measures in the majority of Moroccan regions, citizens’ health remains the government’s top priority.
“The government assumes its responsibilities and can, in no way, jeopardize the health and safety of citizens,” he said.
El Othmani admitted that the number of COVID-19 infections is still unstable and Morocco is still unable to flatten the infection rate’s curve. However, he assured citizens that the country’s health system is “sparing no efforts” to keep the situation under control.
Recent measures to protect Moroccans include a lockdown of Casablanca, the closure of schools with confirmed outbreaks, and the implementation of a stringent safety protocol for tourism establishments, among others.
Recalling recent royal directives, the head of government encouraged Moroccans to remain vigilant, because “the fight against COVID-19 requires collective efforts.”
“Our country was able to achieve collective successes thanks to the directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to the synergy of the various national institutions, and to the collaboration of citizens,” El Othmani added. However, he did not provide concrete examples of the “collective successes.”
