Covid-19 reproduction rate drops to 0.9 in Morocco, Health Ministry

The reproduction rate (R0) of the Covid-19 has fallen slightly over the past two weeks to reach 0.9 last Sunday against 1.22 on November 8, said Tuesday in Rabat an official from the Ministry of Health.

Presenting the bimonthly report on the epidemiological situation, the head of the communicable diseases division at the epidemiology and disease control department at the health ministry, Abdelkrim Meziane Belfkih, underlined that the weekly epidemiological curve relating to Covid-19 in Morocco saw a drop of 12.7% until November 22, while the death curve increased by 5.9% on the same date.

This downward trend was indeed observed in the region of Fez-Meknes (-2.4%), Marrakech-Safi (-6.2%), Draa-Tafilalet (-8.7%), the Oriental (-12.5%), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (-15.2%), Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra (-17.7%), Dakhla-Oued Eddahad (-21.7%), Casablanca-Settat (-21.9%) and Beni Mellal-Khenifra (-34.4%).

On the other hand, the weekly epidemiological curve has increased in the regions of Guelmim-Oued Noun (+ 28%), Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (+ 9.1%) and Souss-Massa (+ 8.1%), he noted, stressing that Morocco is on the verge of carrying out 4 million PCR screening tests, thus placing itself in the 2nd place at the continental level and 31st globally in this area.

Globally, the number of positive cases stands at 59,203,122 people until 23 November, i.e. a cumulative incidence rate of 760 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths stood at 1,397,225, with a fatality rate of 2.4%, he added, noting that the number of cured people rose to about 41 million individuals, or a recovery rate of 69.2%.

In the same regard, the official insisted on the importance of respecting preventive health measures which are likely to limit the spread of the virus, in particular the wearing of protective masks, regular hand washing, physical distancing and use of the Wiqaytna application.