“We are going through this critical phase”
This statement by Minister Kailesh Jagutpal is clear, “we are in a very critical period”. The Ministry of Health has recorded 1476 active cases and 85 deaths directly attributed to Covid-19 since last Friday when the death rate was 46 cases. This represents an average of 12 deaths per day. Cases are increasing, hospitals are filling up more quickly and the deaths concerns a younger population.
Skyrocketing cases and deaths
“We continue to register more cases and it seems that we are going to stay in this situation for a while” said Dr Kailesh Jagutpal at the weekly NCC press briefing on Friday 19th November. Of the 85 people who died, 20 were under 60 years of age and 65 were over 60 years. 16 of them had no comorbidities and 69 had various other conditions. 36 of the deceased were vaccinated and 49 were not vaccinated. “This represents an average of 12 deaths per day.” According to the count on Thursday 18th November , “49 patients are admitted to ENT hospital. Nine are on life support. 28 are on oxygen and 12 under observation. 503 Covid 19 positive patients are admitted to the 5 regional hospitals. In one week 10,209 PCR tests were performed. There are 1,277 positives including 22 imported cases. In all, there are currently 1,476 active cases,” he said.
Dr Jagutpal made it clear that the Ministry of Health was expecting a decrease in cases but from the number of admissions, it appears that this growing trend is likely to continue for some time. He appealed to health workers in both the public and private sectors to lend a hand in “the proper management of patients in this critical phase“. He also appealed to the population as well as his detractors to stop criticising the Domiciliary Monitoring Unit at every turn.
Vaccination: Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer as booster dose
Vaccines for the third/booster dose are changing. The Sinopharm is no longer on the programme. The Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer will be given even to those who have received the Sinopharm as the two previous doses. Priority will nevertheless be given to health workers and people considered at high risk. “The country has recently received 107,000 doses of Pfizer and will soon receive an additional 203,000 doses already confirmed by UNICEF.”
To date, 70% of the population is considered as fully vaccinated with 855,527 administered doses. Those, who have received a first dose, represent 72.7% of the population or 888,652 people. In third/booster dose, the figure is 39,879 persons. “29,166 doses of Johnson & Johnson, 7,964 of Sinopharm and 2,749 of Astra Zenneca were used in booster dose,” the minister said. For adolescents who were administered Pfizer, 31831 received a first dose and 26116 the second dose. In Rodrigues, 60%, or 26176 individuals are primary vaccinated and 59.5% or 25847 persons received both doses. Rodrigues has 2 positive cases detected among the passengers.
