Morocco is taking precautionary measures after the Algerian Health authority confirmed Saturday, 25th of August, that two people have died of cholera, while 139 have been hospitalized, a source at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health told Yabiladi on Monday.
«We will be taking the possible precautionary measures, preventing spread of epidemic», stressed the same source, adding that hospitals throughout the Kingdom will be notified about the outbreak in Algeria.
«We will also be monitoring and keeping an eye on airports and seaports that welcome everyday Algerian nationals», stressed the same source.
«These are preventive measures that we have to absolutely take, since Algeria is a neighboring country», said our source. «However, it is not the first time that we have to deal with such a situation, several other African countries are touched by the same epidemic and their nationals visit Morocco daily», explained the same source, ensuring that the situation will be under control.
The Moroccan heath Ministry will be releasing a communiqué, later this afternoon, to inform the public about the steps it will be taking to face the outbreak in Algeria.
Following the footsteps of Tunisia and Libya
Morocco is not the only country in the region to mobilize its health ministry after Algeria has been affected by the disease.
On Friday, the Tunisian Ministry of Health said in a statement that no cases of Cholera have been recorded in the country, reports Tunis Afrique Presse.
Meanwhile, the department stressed that the «specialized services have undertaken to intensify prevention activities against the disease, including, in particular, the control of drinking water and the environment as well as food», adds the same news agency.
On the other hand, the Monitoring and Investigation Department of the National Centre for Disease Control in Libya has «raised the level of preparedness to deal with the possibility of the transmission of cholera from Algeria (…) especially in border areas», reported the Libya Observer.
The department is taking the necessary precautions to inquire about the health status of people coming from Algeria, added the same platform. «The department also emphasized the obligation to report any suspicious case, confirming that it will be on call 24 hours a day to receive any reports of cases», it concluded.
In Algeria, Health Minister Mokhtar Hasbellaoui declared during a hospital visit on Sunday, 26th of August, that «the situation is completely under control», adding that «the outbreak would be eradicated within days».