The number is now close to 300 cases. 294 new asymptomatic cases and 4 admissions to the ENT hospital in Vacoas. This succession of cases is causing concern and panic, even among the police and other officials. Despite official communiqués, the number of cases remains unclear, as do the details of the government offices
Police in panic
The police force was kept in suspense on Tuesday. Twelve officers in total are suspected of being infected. All are in self-isolation as a precautionary measure, five from the Special Support Unit (SSU), four from the Piton police station and three from the Plaine-des-Papayes police station.
Officers Infected numbers Unclear
The Trade Division at Customs House, Mer Rouge, Port Louis has suspended its activities following the recent Covid cases detected. But urgent cases for the granting of Rules of Origin Certificates have been referred to the SICOM Tower, Ebène by appointment only.
At the Mauritius Housing Corporation, the first floor of the building was closed following a positive case. There was no notice or release that followed. Similarly, the premises of the Ministry of Local Government at the Emmanuel Anquetil Building in Port Louis were cleared in the middle of the day as several positive cases were recorded during working hours. Late in the afternoon, cases were suspected at the Financial Services Commission (FSC) where a Rapid Test exercise was conducted. There has been one confirmed positive case so far.
Factories targeted
10 cases were recorded yesterday in a factory in Plaines des Papayes, and 5 today but no sanitary action has been taken yet. Several cases have also been recurring in a factory in Quatre Bornes for the past 2 weeks but no emergency health measures have been taken by the management. On Tuesday, there were also several cases in a factory in Quartier Militaire.
In addition, the call centre in Rose Belle has not yet proceeded to a disinfection of the premises despite a normal resumption of activities. The Phoenix Insurance has informed through a press release that a positive case has been recorded in the premises of its Head Office in Port Louis and that any information or emergency can be referred to its other branches.
Schools at all levels closed
Yesterday we learned that a grade 9 student at Lorette de Port-Louis tested positive. The school is closed today and tomorrow, Friday August 20th. Classes will resume on Monday, but for grade 9s, it will be Friday, August 27.
The Pailles SSS remained closed on Wednesday and no information has yet been released on the coming days. It should be noted that one member of staff has tested positive. At Saint Andrews College in Rose-Hill, a new disinfection exercise will be carried out on Thursday 19 August due to the fact that a student in Grade 13 has tested positive. Lorette College in Curepipe also had to close at 10:30am on Wednesday because a teacher tested positive. Classes will continue at a distance according to the established timetable.
The Plaisance Nursery School in Rose Hill will remain closed until Friday as one staff member has tested positive. Similar case at Trefles in Rose Hill, at Special Needs Scool. The Beauty Kids Daycare and Preschool in Mahebourg remains closed since Monday, one child tested positive. Le Nid Modernage Pre-primary and Primary school in Triolet, tested positive for a case in a teacher and remains closed on Thursday. The same goes for the Elsie Prele Government School in St. Croix and the Emilienne Rochecouste Government School in Quatre Bornes, where only the kindergarten section remains closed but the primary school part continues to operate. The Curepipe Road Government School will remain closed on Thursday, with one Grade 1 student tested positive.
At the University of Mauritius, the class 2.10 where a student tested positive remains closed and the ICT 1022Y(1) exams scheduled for August 12 and postponed to August 19, has been cancelled until further notice.
Currently 0.50% of the population is infected. There are over 4200 active cases in the island. However, 768,234 people have received their first dose of vaccine and 658,195 both doses.
