The government is trying hard to give a positive image by downplaying the intensity of the damage caused by Covid 19 since the reopening of the borders and the presence of the Delta variant in our country. But their figures do not support the tone of their messages; they are in fact contradicting the statements of the government. This is what Dr Gujadhur, former Director of Health Services, makes clear.
Delta Variant is well established in Mauritius
“Either they are mismanaging the pandemic situation or they don’t know what they are doing. But in short, they are trivialising everything, fully aware that the Delta variant is well established and circulating in the country,” he says. Dr Gujadhur supports this high fact with an estimate of the figures given by the Ministry of Health a few weeks earlier: “As of 22nd September, they have detected 3 cases out of 32 samples sent for sequencing which represented 9%. For the sequencing collected between 28th September and 13th October, out of 29 samples, 20 cases of the Delta variant were detected and 16 of them were Mauritians. This represents 69.9%. It is important to know that, even if the ministry concerned does not mention it, these positive cases have been in contact with people! I am waiting for the next sequencing results to come to an objective conclusion, even if I already have an idea of what it will be. I can neither reassure myself nor reassure anyone about the situation or the management of the situation in the country. I find it increasingly difficult to believe in their figures,” he says.
Are they trivialising the situation on purpose?
He points the finger at the government in its decisions from its first gestures of ease of restrictions to the total reopening of borders, economic activities, leisure and social and religious gatherings and even the almost normal resumption of schools. “Are they trivialising the situation on purpose? They have opened almost everywhere; people are less attentive to the hygienic barrier gestures and why shouldn’t they be when there is a sense of freedom in the country with the government participating in this show of less responsibility for the situation. On Sunday, I heard that the Ministry of Youth and Sport has made available about 20 centres to watch the Manchester vs Liverpool match in these pandemic times. There are meetings, so-called limited celebrations and commemorations everywhere, where even the Prime Minister openly participates without a proper distancing. The message he is sending is wrong. I prefer not mention about gatherings on beaches… The government really thought it could control the masses with its 30-person limit? Social activities and non-urgent gatherings or trips should be banned and the restriction should be imposed again,” he said.
Are we already on a new wave?
Should we then consider that we are riding a new wave? The Doctor answers neither with a yes nor with a no but he is not silent on the increasing number of cases that are not objectively reported. “They report symptomatic cases detected by PCR that require isolation and admissions. But what about positive Rapid Antigenic Test results and asymptomatic people who are self-isolating? Why don’t they include these numbers in the daily rate. And what about the death rate they are hiding? I invite everyone to visit the Mascarenhas Analytica Facebook page, which explains in crystal clear terms how the figures were manipulated. The 18 deaths do not reflect reality at all. According to the WHO, regardless of a patient’s condition or comorbidity, or a positive person who dies being positive, anyone who has had the virus in their system for 28 days should be declared a victim of Covid 19. Are they doing it right?” asks Dr Gujadhur.
For our interlocutor, it is clear that the Delta threatens every individual in the country. “The restrictions must be re-imposed at all costs and the first, second, third and booster vaccination campaigns must be maximised. There are too many deaths of people between the ages of 30 and 50, according to my information. The country is at risk of a downfall if pandemic management remain at this pace,” warns Dr Vasantrao Gujadhur.
Out Of Text –
Face to a reality!
We are not safe. Peace of mind is a utopia in schools with the multiplication of positive cases and the lack of staffing among the teaching staff creates a bad management of the classes, making the SEDEC as well as the Association of Rectors of State Colleges grumble.
