The Ministry of Health has announced its precautionary measures in case of detection of Monkeypox. Minister Kailesh Jagutpal announced: “The Ministry of Health has initiated the procedures to obtain 1000 vaccines against monkeypox”. An isolation unit has already been set up at ENT Hospital in Vacoas.
The precautions are no different from those taken to monitor Covid 19. In sum, a system has been set up at the airport and the port where the Rapid Response Team (RRT) will be posted to deal with suspected cases. The suspected case will be tested for PCR. If found positive, the arriving person will be taken to the isolation unit either at ENT Hospital in Vacoas or to a specialized hotel for a stay in isolation under the supervision of hotel doctors. If after observation, the symptoms are more persistent, he will be admitted to the ENT hospital. If he comes out negative, he will be free. For the Mauritian, the isolation will be at home but under regular observation. He is expected to be admitted to the New ENT Hospital in case of deterioration. The Ministry will set up an awareness campaign for people considered at risk. Mauritius has already placed an order for 1000 monkeypox vaccines from Europe.
The announcement by Dr Kailesh Jagutpal was made at a ceremony marking the collaboration of the European Union and Mauritius in the fight against Covid-19 and other communicable diseases at the Dr A.G.Jeetoo Hospital in Port Louis. Under the Reinforcing Health Systems in Mauritius (REHSIMUS), Mauritius has received the second and final instalment of Rs 372 million from the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union, Vincent Degert. “REHSIMUS support has enabled the acquisition of 17 intensive care beds, 450,000 masks, 12 Ultra Cold Chain freezers, 65 laptops and has doubled the capacity of PCR testing,” he added.
