• It is mandatory for every citizen who believes he/she has been in contact with a COVID-19 infected person, or who present symptoms of COVID-19, to get in touch with the Ministry of Health and Wellness through the hotline 8924 in order to get tested and isolated at the earliest possible. Genuine information must be provided to relevant authorities so as to enable medical staff and officers of the Ministry to carry out their work in the best possible way in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
• The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Jagutpal, made this statement this evening, at the daily press briefing of the National Communication Committee on COVID-19, at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. Dr Catherine Gaud was also present.
• As at date, the positive cases have been identified as follows: 185 cases through the contact tracing exercise and COVID testing centres; 35 in quarantine centres; and 13 through random testing. To date, a total of 21 patients discharged and the number of active local cases stands at 212.
• Three new local cases were registered as follows: two through the contact tracing exercise; and one linked to the Curepipe cluster.
• Some 446 PCR tests have been carried out today, and all of them are negative. In addition, some 800 random tests have been carried out today and all results received are negative for the time being.
• Dr Jagutpal recalled that the first case from Forest Side cluster dates back to 09 March 2021. On 10 March, an appeal was made to all persons present at the gathering in Forest Side to contact the Ministry of Health and Wellness and on 11 March, a communiqué was even issued. However, the couple tested positive yesterday did not contact the Ministry and chose to go to a private laboratory to carry out tests. Their second test was done two weeks later, which turned out to be positive, implying that in the meantime they have already infected other persons.
• He further recalled that the Quarantine Act was adopted last year and states that any person who has been in contact with a positive person and who does not report it to the authorities is committing an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding Rs 500 000 and imprisonment not exceeding five years.
• Dr Jagutpal again stressed on the importance of scrupulously respecting the sanitary and precautionary measures such as regular washing of hands, proper wearing of face masks, and the need to use of sanitizers.
Some 7 257 persons were vaccinated today
• As for Dr Gaud, she dwelt on two patients who are currently in serious conditions and gave details about the spread of the virus among those aged under 20 years.
• Persons who contracted COVID-19 are as follows: five babies under one year old; eight children aged between one and four years old; eight between five to nine years old; 24 between 10 to 14 years old; as well as 26 between 15 to 19 years old.
• With regards to students having exams, she underscored that all precautions are being put in place to ensure that the virus is not transmitted. Students in quarantine can undertake their exams in the centre where they are by and should abide to a strict sanitary protocol.
Source: Government Information Service
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