Curfew Order, to protect Mauritians, in force as from 20 00 hrs today

GIS – 23 March 2020: A Curfew Order, to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 across Mauritius and to make citizens respect scrupulously the national containment protocol, is taking effect today, Monday 23 March 2020 at 20.00 hours local time until Thursday 2 April 2020 at 20.00 hours local time. Therefore, no person or class of persons will be allowed to remain outdoors within the country or within such area and during the time as specified in that order. The order has been issued in the interest of public health and to protect the Mauritian population.

The Curfew Order has been provided for, yesterday 22 March 2020, by the Minister of Health and Wellness under regulation 14(1) of the Prevention and Mitigation of Infectious Disease (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 of the Public Health Act.

However, regulation 14(2) allows for the Commissioner of Police to issue a permit to a person to be outdoors for the sole purpose of leaving his place of residence to his place of work, and leaving his place of work to his place of residence.

This work category is the following:

• Such judicial officers in respect of such minimum judicial services as the Chief Justice deems essential, and such employees of the public sector, including Ministries and Government departments, public enterprises and statutory bodies, providing essential services to the public as may be designated by the Head of the public bodies concerned; and
• Employees of the private sector providing strictly essential minimum services.

The Commissioner of Police may, subject to such terms and conditions as he may impose, issue permits to the above-mentioned work category, where he is satisfied that the presence of such persons at their place of work is essential for the provision of minimum services.

Moreover, nothing in a permit issued by the Commissioner of Police shall exempt any employer from his statutory obligations pertaining to safety and health of his employees under any enactment which may be applicable.

Members of the public are urged to be self-disciplined and to cooperate with the authorities and not to remain outdoors unless their presence outside their homes is strictly necessary to avail themselves of urgent medical treatment, essential supplies, foodstuff, medicine or any other item essential for their subsistence or livelihood.

Any person who: