Measles, known locally as Bouhamroun, now represents an alarming danger for children in the north of Morocco. The number of cases recorded has been constantly increasing for three months, sparking lively concerns among health professionals and families. According to information obtained by Hespress from reliable sources, the death that occurred the day before yesterday, Tuesday, in the city of Tetouan is unfortunately not an isolated case in the region.
The same sources reveal that the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region has recorded at least eight deaths, including five at the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Tangier. All these victims were from the Tangier province. Furthermore, two deaths were reported in the Chefchaouen province, while another was recorded in Tetouan.
According to data obtained from the provincial health directorates and the Mohammed VI University Hospital Centre, 448 severe cases of measles have required medical care this year, attesting to the severity of the situation.
According to information obtained by Hespress, the figures are particularly worrying for the last three months. Indeed, 115 cases were recorded in October, 113 in November, 104 cases in December, a number in constant progression and which should continue to increase in the days to come.
Sprawling provinces like Chefchaouen also show an alarming number of infections among children, estimated at hundreds by well-informed sources. Faced with this worrying spread, awareness campaigns are underway to encourage families to have their children who are not immunised against this potentially deadly disease vaccinated.
In the provinces of Larache, Ouezzane and M'diq-Fnideq, although no deaths have been recorded, several cases of measles have also been reported there. As a reminder, the Ministry of Health launched, several months ago, a national catch-up campaign for measles vaccination.
The medical sources interviewed by Hespress are sounding the alarm: it is imperative that families ensure that their children under 18 are vaccinated. They insist on the importance of the administration of the planned doses to protect children against possible severe complications, especially in a worrying epidemiological context.
According to these professionals, the current situation worsened after the last school holidays, a period during which massive travel across the country favoured the rapid spread of the disease. "The speed of the spread of measles among children even exceeds that of Covid-19", they warn.
The experts also underline the urgency of catching up on vaccination delays and restoring citizens' trust. They believe that the mistrust towards vaccination, widely observed during the Covid-19 period, remains one of the major causes of this resurgence of measles in Morocco. "It is imperative to fight against negligence concerning the importance of vaccination", they insist.
Faced with this epidemic, health authorities and health professionals are redoubling their efforts to raise awareness among the population and stop the spread of the virus, hoping thus to avoid other tragic losses.
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