The new figure brings to 8,437 the number of contaminations since the first case was reported on March 2, i.e. a rate of 23.3/100,000 inhabitants, and to 7,493 the number of fully recovered people, i.e. a recovery rate of 88.8%, said Dr. Mouad Mrabet, coordinator of the National Center for Emergency Public Health Operations at the ministry of Health, in a statement broadcast live by MAP on its TV channel M24 and on RIM RADIO.

These new cases were recorded in the regions of Casablanca-Settat (79 cases, including 71 in a workplace and 08 among contact persons), Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (35 cases in various clusters and among contact persons), Marrakech-Safi (15 cases among contact persons), Fez-Meknes (04 cases) and Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (02 cases).

Also, 16,733 additional cases have been excluded after negative laboratory test results, i.e. a total of 331,134 cases excluded since the outbreak of the virus, the official said.

Two new fatalities were recorded, in Tangier and Marrakech, bringing the death toll to 210, he said, adding that the case-fatality rate remained at 2.5%.

Of the 135 reported cases, 118 have been detected through the contact-person tracking system, which has so far included a total of 49,264 cases, Mrabet said, pointing out that 6,817 contact persons are still under medical surveillance.

Regarding active cases, Mrabet noted that 734 patients are currently under treatment, i.e. 2 per cent. He explained that these cases are mainly concentrated in the regions of Casablanca-Settat (288), Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (137), Marrakech-Safi (161), Rabat-Salé-Kénitra (85), Meknès-Fès (35), while the region of Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra has only one (01) active case. The regions of Dakhla-Oued Eddahab and Drâa-Tafilalet, for their part, have no active cases.

In addition, 13 cases are in intensive care, including 08 in Casablanca-Settat (03 under artificial respiration), 03 cases in Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (including 02 under artificial respiration), 02 cases in Marrakech-Safi, he noted.