A disappointing start to the day of holidays In Reunion. The latest count from 26 June to 02 July shows 1262 new cases compared to 1081 cases the week before. On Tuesday, July 6, the Regional Health Agency, ARS, even announced 7 cases of death related to Covid during the past 7 days of Reunionese aged between 45 and 75. As the island will have many departures and arrivals of travellers, a strengthening of the measures has been announced.
Beta and Delta variants propagation
Covid is spreading to the island very quickly and especially the variants. According to the report of a sequencing made from June 26 to July 02 there are 1010 cases of variants out of 1,204 positive tests. While the Beta variant, The South African variant was already in circulation, and since last week adds the Delta, or Indian variant, especially in the highlands of the West part of the island. On 06 July, 12 cases of Delta variant were confirmed by sequencing, and 10 other suspected samples are to be confirmed. The indicators show an increase in cases and positive tests as well as hospitalizations. The proportion per 100,000 head of population increases from 140 to 150, with 37 clusters that are active. The Delta variant, with a proven contagiousness of 50% higher, the prefecture and the ARS announce in a press release “In order to avoid an acceleration of the transmission of the variant in the territory, it is necessary to strengthen the barrier measures for the protection of everyone, and to be vaccinated without further delay.”
PCR test on arrival
The Reunion authorities are in the process of strengthening measures for travellers. There will be salivary tests offered on arrival for unvaccinated passengers. The test will be performed in a secure space and by a team from a certified laboratory. The results will be known in less than 30 minutes, analyzed by RT-PCR. Travelers, who are tested positive, will have to get to their place of residence while respecting the strict self-isolation guidelines that will be transmitted to them. The person is the subject of immediate contact-tracing by the Health Insurance and the ARS.
