Since October 2023, Morocco has recorded 19,515 cases of measles, or a rate of 52.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Amine Tahraoui.
During the oral questions session in the House of Representatives, Monday December 30, 2024, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Amine Tahraoul, revealed that 107 deaths linked to measles have been recorded to date, representing 0.55% of recorded cases. Half of these deaths concern children under 12 years old.
The epidemic, which began in 2023 in the Souss-Massa region, gradually spread to Marrakech, Safi, and to all regions of the country. The minister attributed this spread to a drop in vaccination coverage that occurred after the Covid-19 pandemic, creating hotspots of infection.
The minister insisted on vaccination as the only effective measure to eliminate measles. He stressed that the growing reluctance to vaccinate post-Covid-19 has contributed to the emergence of new cases.
To deal with the situation, the ministry implemented a national plan focused on vaccination catch-up campaigns, mainly among children, as well as on strengthening the surveillance system to quickly detect cases and intervene immediately. These Initiatives, carried out in collaboration with the Ministries of National Education and the Interior, made it possible to monitor 6 million Moroccan children as of December 20, 2024, with catch-up vaccination carried out for 38% of them.
Morocco
