It will come as no surprise that this is a challenging time to start a new public health journal. However, current events have also made it evident that a journal such this one has arrived just in time to help the public health community in Morocco and Africa as it works hard to uncover the secret of this emerging SARS-CoV-2 virus and its associated COVID-19 pandemics. Our first special issue carries a variety of information on this new coronavirus and the COVID-19 pandemic management, from the virus genome structure, function and evolution, disease clinical manifestations and co morbidity complications, diagnostic methods and test kits, therapeutics strategies and vaccines, human host genetic susceptibility, virus zoonotic origin, to the social and economic impact.

The research and understanding of SARS-CoV-2 have grown at a truly remarkable rate, with experts investigating the virus from many conceivable perspectives. Our ambition is that The Moroccan Journal of Public Health will be a venue for work on this virus and emerging African infectious diseases even when it is no longer newsworthy. Our commitment is to the deepest understanding of public health emerging threats and risks in order to support and provide scientific guidance to public health policy and practice decision. However, this should not detract from attention on growing non communicable diseases in Morocco and African continent.

The clinical and public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented, however, much about SARS-CoV-2, and in turn COVID-19, is still obscure and it will take time to fully understand the virus nature and function. Another serious concern is that the emergency of investigations of the SARS-CoV-2 does not entirely overshadow other strategic considerations for health and public health. The Moroccan Journal of Public Health, faithful to the spirit, vision and mission of Pasteur Institute and its founder will be here forever to support those efforts and promise to advocate for a powerful efficient public health in Morocco, Africa and the world.

This first issue is just the beginning of an ever ending endeavor and we extend our invitation to all scientific and technical Public health community to use this channel for sharing their achievement and thoughts.