It is official, Omicron is dominating in Mauritius and Rodrigues. The latest sequencing tests on 79 samples collected between 31 January and 9 January showed 75 cases of Omicron, including 27 in Rodrigues and 4 cases of Delta. The Omicron sub-variant, BA.2 has been identified in our territory according to WHO
The pandemic is taking another turn. The communiqué for the past week reports 1007 local positive cases detected and 64 imported cases, both resulting from PCR tests conducted. 56 people are in quarantine. The ENT hospital, on the other hand, has recorded fewer serious cases than in other weeks. Of the 7 patients admitted, three are under artificial respiration, 2 of whom have been vaccinated with 2 doses and 1 with no vaccination, and 4 are under oxygen, 1 of whom has not been vaccinated and 3 with 2 doses. In regional hospitals, the count of admissions is 226. And this week, the Ministry officially counts 12 deaths directly related to the virus. The statistics of the Ministry of Health show that 37,650 people have tested positive for PCR and 24,993 have recovered from Covid 19. Although the official statement did not reveal it, according to Dr Laurent Musango, Omicron BA.2 is indeed circulating in the country. This sub-variant differs from the BA.1 sub-variant by 20 more mutations. It spreads faster but is less severe.
Cases and vaccination actually
Covid 19 positive cases are on the rise. For this Friday we have 215 positive cases and 47 admissions. In Rodrigues, the health services have recorded a total of 4,999 cases.
According to the cabinet of Ministers held on Friday, the vaccination is still progressing with 991,281 people or 78.3% of the population having received the first dose, 943,742 or 74.5% of the population the second dose and 406,000 people or 32.1% of the population the third/booster dose. 73.4% of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years have received the first dose of Pfizer and 53.1% the second. According to the Covid 19 communiqué of the past week, in Rodrigues, 72.64% of the population is primo vaccinated, 70.21% have received two doses and 8762 the third/booster dose. The situation is alarming in our tenth district. The Semi-Lockdown has been extended until 24 February. The regional elections are still scheduled for 27 February, until further notice.
Women’s prison – new Covid 19 cluster
Around twenty of them have tested positive on Thursday 10 February. With this explosion of cases, confirmed during a routine testing exercise, the administration of the women’s prison remains on alert on the eventuality that more cases may crop up. Patient Zero is a suspected to be a repeat drug offender in her twenties, who was recently nabbed by the ADSU. She is currently admitted to New ENT Hospital, not for her Covid 19 status, but because she was seen swallowing the drugs in her possession. It was during her examination that she was tested positive. Screening at the women’s prison thus followed. The positive prisoners were concentrated in a specially equipped isolation room.
