Republic of Mauritius- Mauritius maintains use of hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment

The spokesperson of the
National Communication Committee on Covid-19, Dr Zouberr Joomaye, made this
announcement this evening, during the press briefing of the said Committee,
held through videoconference from the New Treasury Building, in Port Louis.

He underlined that this decision
has been taken following the controversy with regard to the paper
published last week in the Lancet medical journal on the health risks resulting
from the use of hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment and the World Health
Organization (WHO) pausing clinical trials of the drug.

The drug, said the spokesperson, has so far
been extensively used globally as a treatment against the novel coronavirus and
Mauritius itself has so far successfully treated 322 patients over 334 with it.

Hence, he pointed out that based on a
careful reassessment of the use of the hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19
treatment carried out by health officials of the Ministry of Health and
Wellness, the High level Committee of Covid-19 has agreed on maintaining the
use of the drug, unless the WHO advises against it.

Dr Joomaye also recalled that Government is
working on a repatriation strategy to bring back Mauritians stranded abroad and
several flights are scheduled to this end.

 While speaking about the two imported cases
of Covid-19, he announced that as a precautionary measure, all those admitted
in quarantine centres will, henceforth, be subject to increased testing.  This will be carried out as follows: upon
patient’s admittance, one week following admittance and on departure.

As for the Minister of Gender Equality and
Family Welfare, Mrs Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah, she underlined that Government
has taken into account the numerous queries and concerns of parents resuming
work as from next week, as the lockdown ends. 
Thus, the authorities have agreed on the reopening of child day care
centres as from 02 June 2020.

Moreover, she underscored the unflinching
commitment of Government to cater for the well-being of the population, and during
this time of crisis, to cater to the needs of parents while ensuring the safety
of children.

Hence, she indicated that the reopening of day
care centres will be made according to strict sanitary measures, namely: the
staff members of the institutions will have to undergo testing for Covid-19 so
that they obtain authorisation for operation, and the premises will be cleaned
regularly. The same precautionary measures are applicable for school vans
operators, she pointed o

ut.

The Minister also cautioned parents that their
wards should not be sent to school if they show any sickness symptoms for they will
be refused admittance by the school personnel.

Covid-19 updates as at 27 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 250
  passengers are in the five quarantine centres

• Since the
  outbreak of the pandemic in Mauritius, 108 501 Covid-19 tests have been
  carried out, including 81 014 Rapid Antigen Tests and 27 487 PCR tests

• Mauritius
  ranks among the first countries as regards the greatest number of testing
  per 1 000 people

#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