Republic of Mauritius- Strategy being developed to repatriate Mauritians stranded abroad, reassures Foreign Affairs Minister

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration
and International Trade, Mr Nandcoomar Bodha, made this statement, this evening,
during the press briefing of the National Communication Committee on Covid-19.

Minister Bodha indicated that Government understands
the sufferings of the 4 000 Mauritians stranded in 70 countries, who are away
from their country and their families. He underlined that, however, priority for
repatriation will be given to those who have gone for medical treatment abroad.

On this score, he pointed out that a flight is
scheduled to Chennai to repatriate 80 persons who went for medical treatment.
Other scheduled flights will be to Mumbai, Australia, Madagascar and Reunion
Island, he added. Moreover, he stressed that a repatriation exercise needs to
take into consideration that the quarantine centres can only cater for a
specific number of passengers. 

With regard to the 1 760 Mauritians stuck on 100
cruise ships in 40 harbours, he stated that meetings have been held with
representatives of these companies so as to come up with an organised plan. The
Minister also pointed out that these companies have been told to respect their
workers’ contract and to provide them with best healthcare facilities.  He
appealed to the cruise ships members to take all precautions so as to protect
themselves against the Covid-19.

Speaking on health care facilities put in place at the
level of quarantine centres, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh
Kumar Jagutpal, recalled that proper monitoring is being made by a professional
medical team to ensure that the individuals are properly screened. He also
pointed out that screening is carried out before any person leaves a quarantine
centre. He advised people who are in quarantine to remain vigilant and to abide
by all strict measures enforced at quarantine centres.

For his part, the spokesperson of the National
Communication Committee on Covid-19, Dr Zouberr Joomaye, provided details about the
two imported positive Covid-19 cases which were detected yesterday. He stated
that prior to being repatriated from India and boarding the plane on 9 May
2020, both passengers had undergone PCR testing on 5 May 2020 from an approved medical
institution. The tests turned out to be negative. These two persons, upon their
arrival in Mauritius the next day, were placed under quarantine at Ambre Hotel
and did not show any symptoms of the Covid-19, he further indicated. He added
that following the positive results of their PCR tests, yesterday, both
patients have been transferred to the ENT Hospital for treatment.

Covid-19
updates as at 25 May 2020

·        
Mauritius has registered 334 positive
Covid-19 cases, including 10 deaths and 322 successfully treated patients

·        
The country currently has two active Covid-19
cases

·        
A total of 271 passengers are in
quarantine

·        Since the outbreak of the pandemic in
Mauritius, 104 639 Covid-19 tests have been carried out, including 77 530 Rapid
Antigen Tests and 27 109 PCR tests

#ResOuLakaz    
#BeSafeMoris

Government Information Service, Prime
Minister’s Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius.
Email: gis@govmu.org  Website: http://gis.govmu.org  Mobile App: Search Gov​

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