• Some 400 random tests have been carried out in the village of Canot, declared a Red Zone since yesterday, and this exercise is still ongoing, while approximately 275 tests have been carried out in nearby villages of Gros Cailloux and Petite Rivière, stated the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Jagutpal.
• He was speaking, today, in the daily press briefing of the National Communication Committee on COVID-19, at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. The President of the Vaccination Committee, Dr Zouberr Joomaye, as well as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr Krishna Jhugroo, were also present.
• Since 05 March 2021, 148 positive cases of COVID-19 have been detected through the contact tracing exercise and COVID testing centres, 27 detected in quarantine centres and nine cases though random testing.
• Some 368 tests have been done today at the Victoria Hospital laboratory, with no positive COVID-19 cases.
• 20 persons, all staff of the Dr AG Jeetoo Hospital are currently in quarantine as all safety measures were not thoroughly observed while testing crew members of a Russian ship off the coast of Mauritius, which revealed two positive COVID-19 cases on board the ship.
COVAXIN to be administered as from 22 March 2021
• Dr Joomaye underscored that the vaccination campaign is ongoing and expressed satisfaction as the exercise is going on smoothly, with all precautionary measures being observed.
• He underlined that as from Monday 22 March the COVAXIN vaccine will be used in the vaccination programme against COVID-19.
• As at date, some 92 524 persons have been vaccinated, out of which 1 952 through private clinics.
• Some 100 000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine are still available and are being kept for the second phase of vaccination.
• Herd immunity is expected to be reached by June 2021 and Government’s priority remains the wellness and safety of the population.
• As for DCP Jhugroo, he commended the inhabitants of the village of Canot as they have fully cooperated with the Mauritius Police Force (MPF).
• The role of police officers, he stressed, is essential in such trying times.
• He also informed that two members of the MPF have been tested positive to the COVID-19 and that more than 50 officers of the MPF are quarantined.
Source: Government Information Service
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