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Rabat – Morocco’s third wave of COVID-19 infections appears to be here as cases are rising faster than ever before across the nation. New daily cases are already tenfold their peak during the first, relatively mild, wave of infections amid a total lockdown in March 2020, and rising faster than the second, more severe, wave of infections in autumn of the same year.
Morocco’s public health officials have confirmed another 2,853 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours on Saturday July 17, as new variants of the virus appear to be fueling such a rapid spread.
With cases on the rise across the Maghreb and in many parts of the world, Morocco appears to be facing its third and fastest wave of infections.
Government data shows a new wave that is rising at a faster pace than any before. Source: Ministry of Health.
Morocco’s third wave
Morocco saw its highest peak in new daily cases in the autumn of 2020 when 6,195 new cases were detected within 24 hours. That peak was the culmination of a steady rise in cases, going from 249 on July 11, to 2,776 daily cases on October 4 before finally rising to the 6,195 daily cases witnessed on November 13.
This time around, cases are rising much more rapidly. During Morocco’s second wave it took 115 days for daily cases to rise from 249 to 2,776. This summer it has taken only 26 days, with cases rising from 288 on June 21 to 2,853 new cases on July 17.
Cases are currently rising faster than at the start of Morocco’s second and most severe wave in the autumn of 2020. Data source: Ministry of Health.
The steep increase in daily cases has been accompanied with renewed grim numbers in hospitalizations and related deaths. Over the past 24 hours, Morocco’s public health officials reported seven COVID-19 related deaths, 15,253 active cases and 481 critical cases admitted to local hospitals.
Intensive care occupancy rates, indicating the capacity of the healthcare system to cope with severe cases, have risen at an alarming pace. At the start of July, 7.3% of Moroccan intensive care beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients; on July 17, this number had risen to 15.2%.
As has been the case throughout the crisis, the densely populated metropole of Casablanca continues to be the worst-hit area across Morocco. Over the past 24 hours, 1191 new cases were detected across the Grand Casablanca-Settat region, with the city of Casablanca alone accounting for 903 new infections. Following are the regions of Souss-Massa (520 new cases), Rabat-Sale-Kenitra (459) and Marrakech-Safi, where 284 new cases were reported.
Difficult situation
Thousands of expatriates have returned to Morocco for a vacation.
The new wave of infections presents a difficult task for the country’s public health officials. Morocco is currently hosting thousands of Moroccan expatriates who have returned to the country for vacations as well as to celebrate the Islamic holiday of Eid al Adha.
Eid al Adha, commonly known as “the big Eid,” is the most significant holy day in the Islamic calendar and is typically celebrated with large family gatherings. With Eid al Adha mere days away, Morocco’s government is unlikely to intervene with a heavy hand, especially in the face of upcoming elections that will surely factor in as authorities brainstorm their course of action to curb the new wave.
Moroccans across the country are preparing for large daily gatherings to celebrate the holy day of Eid al Adha.
Additionally, few officials would dare disturb an economic resurgence in Morocco. The COVID-19 crisis has presented dire economic malaise for many across the country, particularly in the informal sector that supports Morocco’s vital tourism industry. While today’s daily infections are far exceeding numbers at the time Morocco instituted a full lockdown, the current situation will likely warrant a different government response.
Government response
Instead, Morocco is implementing new measures, such as banning Eid al Adha prayers at the country’s many mosques, and rapidly scaling up the national vaccination campaign. Morocco’s health ministry announced it would extend its vaccination drive to people aged 30-35. The expansion reveals Morocco’s rapid acceleration of its campaign as it comes only a week after the campaign was extended to the 35-39 age group.
MWN Foreign Policy Analyst Jasper Hamann receiving his first Sinopharm vaccination as part of the 35-39 age group.
The vaccination campaign in particular presents a glimmer of hope for the country, as increased deliveries from China have provided a significant boost to efforts to rapidly vaccinate large swaths of the population.
While Morocco is attempting to break its third wave, it faces a global reality where countries across the region, and the world as a whole, are seeing a sustained and worrying uptick in cases. Morocco expressed its solidarity with fellow Maghreb country Tunisia by sending planes full of medical aid to the country in crisis.
Moroccan medical aid to Tunisia is loaded onto a Moroccan C-130 military plane.
In addition to receiving 6 million Chinese vaccines in the span of a week, Morocco will additionally start domestic vaccine production that can help the country reach its 80% target to reach herd immunity. Morocco is set to produce 5 million vaccines each month which will likely be intended for domestic use first before switching to producing vaccines for export.
These vaccines are intended for export across the African continent, where demand for vaccines is even more dire than in Morocco. The African continent has so far been spared the worst of the pandemic, with the Americas and Europe accounting for the bulk of cases and deaths, followed by South-East Asia.
