Morocco: Conspiracy theories blamed for measles outbreak

A deadly measles outbreak is currently sweeping through Morocco’s schools and prisons, claiming lives and overwhelming hospitals with anti-vaccine conspiracy theories allegedly to blame.

According to The New Arab on January 31st, the measles outbreak, known in Morocco as “Bouhamron”, first began in the summer of 2024, rapidly spreading across the country.

By the time Moroccan health officials declared an epidemic, measles had already infected 25,000 people, claiming 120 lives.

The government has begun an urgent vaccination campaign in attempt to stop the spread of the virus.

 The Health Ministry told The New Arab that before the recent outbreak they had reached the elimination stage with less than one measles case per million people annually.

“But now, we’ve gone back to the control phase. We have to act fast,” the ministry said.

Experts attribute the resurgence of the virus in the country to declining vaccination rates, worsened by gaps in epidemiological monitoring and vaccine hesitancy, some of this has been fuelled by anti-vaccine misinformation gaining traction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Measles is a very contagious airborne disease, spreading through the air when someone infected coughs or sneezes.

Without proper immunization coverage, measles spreads very quickly through communities, infecting up to 20 people with each new case.

Tayeb Hamdi, a doctor and researcher in health policies, stated that the country’s measles outbreak constitutes a full-on epidemic.

“This is a dangerous disease with serious, lifelong complications…blindness, brain inflammation—these are not minor risks,” Hamdi said.

 Health authorities typically recommend two doses of the measles vaccine, both in infancy, one at nine months and another a few months after.

In recent years, vaccine coverage has fallen to 80% or less in some regions of the country, 15% below the critical 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.

Researchers have suggested parents are neglecting to to get their children vaccinated because they think measles is a “thing of the past.”

However, other refusals of vaccines may be due to a belief that they are dangerous and pose health risks.

The Moroccan health system, already under pressure post-COVID is now facing an surge of measles patients.

Measles symptoms typically present obviously, often resulting in fevers, red eyes, coughing, and a red rash.

The Ministry of Health are launching targeted campaigns in order to reach the parents of unvaccinated children, asking that the public “trust the science.”

According to Maghrebi, this health crisis comes as the first Moroccan M-pox cases were reported in September 2024.

The New Arab, Maghrebi, MSN