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A team of researchers in Casablanca has completed a four-year genomic surveillance study that sheds new light on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in Morocco. Published earlier this August in Nature, the study confirmed that the country’s epidemic mirrored global variant trends while also underscoring Morocco’s role as a regional transmission hub.
Between 2021 and 2024, the scientists sequenced 235 samples from COVID-19 patients across the Kingdom. Their analysis identified three distinct phases: the co-circulation of Alpha and Delta variants in 2021, the full dominance of Omicron from 2022 onwards, and the emergence of highly mutated Omicron sub-lineages JN.1.1 and JN.1.45 in 2023–2024. These strains carried up to 89 amino acid substitutions and 17 deletions, ranking among the most immune-evasive lineages recorded to date.
The study also highlighted key demographic findings: nearly 80% of patients were symptomatic, most were between 20 and 40 years old, and Delta infections were generally more severe compared to those caused by Alpha or Omicron.
Phylogenetic analysis placed Morocco’s epidemic in a broader global context, revealing multiple bidirectional viral exchanges, particularly during the Omicron wave. This positioned Morocco as both a recipient and exporter of variants, reflecting its geographic role as a crossroads between Africa and Europe.
In their conclusions, the researchers stressed the critical importance of ongoing genomic surveillance to adapt vaccines, reinforce outbreak response, and anticipate emerging threats. They also called for greater investment in sequencing capacity, stronger regional collaboration, and the creation of data-sharing networks across North Africa.
