Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Health announced today the end of the second Omicron wave.
Mouad Mrabet, the ministry’s coordinator of the national Operations Center of public health emergency, said: “Morocco experienced a fourth wave of COVID-19 community spread which lasted 11 weeks and reached its peak in the two weeks from June 20 to July 3.”
However, the health official warned that the end of an epidemic wave does not in any way mean the end of the infectious disease.
“The spread of the virus will continue at a low level with the possibility of the appearance of a possible wave, but not imminent,” Mrabet said.
He went on to report a gradual decrease in the level of circulation of the COVID virus in Morocco, stressing that the rate of positivity has moved from 22.6% during the peak weeks to 3.2% last week — with a case reproduction index that stands at 0.83.
Data from the National Denomics Watch Consortium suggest that the omicron mutant is still prevalent around the world — with two main sub-mutants including BA.5 and BA.2.
Mrabet also celebrated a 76% drop in the number of serious or critical cases in intensive care units across Morocco. There are currently 999 critical COVID cases in Moroccan hospitals, against 4,201 during the first wave of Omicron.
Mrabet noted that this upbeat performance is in large part due to the success of Morocco’s vaccination campaign against COVID.
The number of COVID-related deaths reached 182 in the fourth Omicron wave — compared to 1,182 during the first wave of Omicron, said the Moroccan official, noting this represents a notable and largely encouraging 85% decrease in COVID-induced mortality between the two waves.
Since the COVID-19 crisis broke out in Morocco in March 2020, the country has registered a total of 1,262,696 COVID infections.
Of these, 1,244,486 people recovered, while the country’s total death toll reached 16,259 as of Monday.
In terms of the vaccination campaign, the rate of people who took the booster dose reached 18.3%, while nearly 30,000 people received the fourth dose.
Mrabet reiterated the Health Ministry’s appeal calling on all citizens aged 60 and 18 and over to get the booster shot six months after receiving the third dose. People with chronic diseases are particularly concerned with a booster vaccine dose, he concluded.
