Morocco’s coronavirus recovery rate improves to near 90%

The rate of patients who overcome the coronavirus rose to 89.62% on Saturday as Morocco continues mass testing, free hospitalization and a chloroquine based treatment.

Total confirmed cases rose to 8,224 including 7,364 recoveries and 208 deaths with the total number of tests rising to over 340,000 as the country bolstered its testing capacity.

Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb announced Sunday that 24 national laboratories in Morocco carried out a combined total of 17,500 screening tests for COVID-19 in one day.

The official, during a webinar for healthcare professionals and the press, said Morocco’s initial testing capacity was limited to 2,000 tests per day in three laboratories, but the country has since accelerated its COVID-19 response, allowing the country to process more than 17,500 tests per day.

The performance does not include the health ministry’s laboratories or private sector laboratories, he clarified.

“The citizens who carried out the tests exceeded 340,000. There are certain citizens who benefited from tests on several occasions. This important figure reflects a colossal effort,” the minister explained.

Morocco aims to carry out 1.8 million COVID-19 tests by the end of July or the start of August.

The mortality rate was limited to 2.5% with some 641 receiving treatment in different hospitals, mostly showing mild symptoms.

The rise in the number of hot spots within families and factories that do not abide by precautionary measures has been raised as a reason to further expand the confinement, which is expected to end on June 10.

Traveling between cities and within cities is still subject to a special permit from authorities but confinement easing seems to be already taking place with many industrial and commercial units allowed to operate.

Cafes and restaurants however have been asked to sell delivery food and beverages only and mosques remain closed as well as schools where classes have been suspended until September.