Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Morocco: experience of the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, 12 June to...

On 12 June 2009, Morocco was the first country in North Africa to report a laboratory-confirmed case of influenza A(H1N1)2009 virus infection. This study describes the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 240 laboratory-confirmed cases among 594 outpatients with influenza-like illness at the Mohammed V Military Teaching Hospital, Rabat, from 12 June to 24 December 2009. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR was used to confirm the infection. The epidemic peaked in weeks 47 to 49 (16 November to 6 December 2009). The mean age of cases was 23 years (standard deviation: 14 years). Cough was the most common symptom in 200 cases (83%), followed by fever (≥38 °C) in 195 (81%). Diarrhoea or vomiting was reported in 12 (5%) patients. None of the cases developed any complications and no deaths occurred during the study period.