Republic of Mauritius- Mauritius registers first Covid-19 related death

GIS – 21 March 2020: The Health Minister, Dr Kailesh Jagutpal, announced the first Covid-19 related death in the country, this morning at the press conference of the National Communication Committee, in Port Louis. He confirmed that there are at date 14 confirmed cases out of which one death, that of a male patient in his fifties, which occurred on Thursday night at the Victoria Hospital.

The 13 positive tested patients are isolated and receiving treatment according to the established protocol and the health and services action plan. Minister Jagutpal lauded the health personnel for their professionalism and for ensuring that protocols are being respected.

He further pointed out that contact tracing is ongoing and appealed to the population to adhere to the national confinement put in place by Government as the virus is transmitted through human contact, thus the importance of confinement. He also enumerated additional measures that have been put in place for patients at the hospital such as a fever clinic that has been set up for patients with specific symptoms and appealed for people going to hospital not to take children along.

For patients who have appointment at the hospital, Dr Jagutpal underlined that a service by telephone is being offered so that appropriate arrangement can be made for the delivery of medicine and setting future appointment.

 He appealed to the population to remain confined and to be responsible.

The Director of Health Services, Dr Gujadhur, for his part highlighted that there are currently three teams working on field for contact tracing following the new confirmed cases and that confinement is very important to reduce risk of transmission.

DCP K. Jughroo appealed to the population to respect the National confinement failing which people are at risk of severe legal measures that have been implemented as from today. He pointed out that the quarantine centres have been declared restricted areas and advised the public not to come to the airport to receive their families since access will not be granted.