We have a total of 1337 active cases of which 57 have been admitted to the ENT Hospital. On this Friday, 73 positive but asymptomatic cases have been recorded. Seven patients considered fragile have been admitted to ENT due to old age and comorbidities of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Positive cases will be recorded every day and the Minister of Health says it clearly, “we must get out of this fear and live with Covid“. He is even reassuring about the news of the Mauritian variant B1.1.318 discovered in Bangladesh.
Vaccination on the right track
0.34% of the population has contracted the virus. According to the Ministry of Health, to date, 709,876 people have been primo-vaccinated, that is 74.7% of the adult population, and 572,186 totally vaccinated which represents 60.23% of the adult population. The government considers having its target for this year and at a press briefing of the National Communication Committee (NCC) on Friday 6 August, Minister Kailesh Jagutpal announced that the vaccination campaign is on track for herd immunity.
The Mauritian variant in Bangladesh
Genome sequencing in Bangladesh is underway. Nevertheless, a provisional result from the laboratory of Bengladhu Sheikh Mujb Medical University suggests the Mauritian variant, B1.1.318 rather than the Nigerian variant. The information is widespread on news’ websites. However, Minister Jagutpal was rather anaesthetic during his press briefing, saying “it is reassuring to know that the sample taken on these Bangladeshi workers coming from Mauritius is the B 1.1.318 and not an Alpha, Delta, Gamma or other variant“, which would confirm that there is only B 1.1.318 in circulation here.
Closed schools
The Loretto College in St-Pierre had to activate health protocols on Friday 6 August following the discovery of a Grade 11 student who was tested positive for the virus. A similar case at Friendship Girls in Goodlands where a Grade 8 student has been tested positive. She was last in class on Tuesday 3 August and a contact tracing exercise was carried out. On the other hand, a Grade 11 student from Phoenix SSS was tested positive on Friday. According to the latest count, there are currently 80 school children carrying the virus.
Tropic Knits remains operational
Despite the fact that there are nine confirmed cases among the foreign workers at the Tropic Knits factory in Vacoas currently under health surveillance, the factory has not ceased operations. It is reported that the factory continues to operate with 95% of the workforce which is fully vaccinated. Fayzal Ally Beegun, the president of the Textile Manufacturing and Allied Industries Workers Union, is calling for the closure of the two factories in Reunion, Vacoas and Forest Side in Curepipe, until further notice.
Regarding the contamination of the dormitories, Dr Badoola Meetoo said at the NCC press conference that 25 dormitories have been targeted and are currently under police force surveillance.
