Mauritius has banned flights from South Africa but has, in turn, been banned in Saudi Arabia and Gujrat in India. Mauritius is considered as a high-risk country and is on the list of African countries banned by most continents. However, Mauritius is exempted from the British Red List, which has been announced on Sunday 28th November, which will come into effect as from Tuesday 30th November.
Status of Omicron
This variant was announced on 25th November by South African researchers. The B.1.1.529 variant, dubbed Omicron as of 26th November by the WHO, has been reported to be of concern, with multiple mutations and probably highly transmissions. This news has caused a global wave of panic, with many countries deciding within hours to ban travellers from Southern Africa from their territory. It has been detected mainly in Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Botswana, Israel, Australia, Hong Kong, Botswana and South Africa
Saudi Arabia closes to Mauritians too
Mauritius is one of the seven southern African countries to be listed in the communiqué of the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry dated Sunday 28th November.
Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Angola, Seychelles and the Comoros Islands are the other countries that no longer have access to Saudi Arabia. The state is banning all flights from these destinations, including Mauritius. This new variant and its rapid spread raise all the concerns of the Saudi state. As such, as from Friday 26th November, it has banned flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini. So far, Saudi Arabia has banned access to 14 African countries. All incoming passengers will have to go through a 5-day quarantine, regardless of their vaccination status or PCR test results. However, unvaccinated passengers will be allowed access after a 14-day quarantine in one of the countries authorised by the Saudi state.
Mauritius in Gujarat’s red list
In India’s Gujarat, following this wave of Omicron, the Ministry of Health has classified nine countries as “at risk”, namely the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Mauritius. All travellers from the countries listed above must be properly vaccinated, produce a negative PCR test and agree to a 14-day quarantine/self-isolation. If they are partially or not vaccinated, they will have to submit samples for Covid-19 testing.
Mauritius to face Omicron
Mauritius has cancelled all flights from South Africa as of Saturday 27th November. Following the urgent decision of the High-Level Committee, those who returned, both Mauritians and tourists, have been imposed a quarantine in two hotels in Quatre Bornes, the Gold Crest and the Palms at the expense of the state. However, no communication has been made to the incoming passengers from SA, who were unable able to prepare themselves. This decision has provoked many reactions.
Shameem Jaumdally, a Mauritian virologist based in South Africa and a regular in the Mauritian media for his analysis of Covid 19 was among the incoming passengers. He does not understand the protocols put in place, especially the last-minute changes. “At the beginning, the imposition was a self-isolation, but now, we learn that it is about quarantine in hotels in Quatre-Bornes, given the unavailability in the others,” he said regretting this quick preparation of the ministry. He also deplores the treatment of travellers who have been waiting at the airport since their arrival, especially those with health conditions. These are passengers who were waiting for further explanations on the isolation protocols because they consider, like the virologist, that this protocol should not have been in place, given the low rate of contamination with this variant in South Africa.
On his Facebook account, Xavier Luc Duval, the leader of the Opposition and elected representative of the constituency number 18 (Belle-Rose/Quatre-Bornes) stated that “it’s a very bad idea” to house the arriving tourists from South Africa in the middle of Quatre Bornes. “I ask the people of Quatre Bornes to be very vigilant and to strictly observe the barrier measures to avoid the spread of the Omicron variant. I am also certain that the tourists deserved better. ”
Ferry by SAA
As of Sunday morning, the CEO of South African Airways, Thomas Kgokolo has made it public that he will send a ferry to pick up stranded South Africans in Mauritius, as new restrictions are being imposed on the travellers of this region. South African Airways, having cancelled the SA 190 flight from Johannesburg to Mauritius which was scheduled for Sunday 28th November, used the same aircraft operating as a ferry for this repatriation mission. SA 191 departed at 4.35pm at the same time as SA 190’s scheduled departure.
Steven Obeegadoo denies rumours about his daughter
Following the protest at the airport of “where is the daughter of the minister” and the rumours that the daughter of the minister and DPM Obeegadoo, who was among the passengers on that flight, may have left the airport. Steven Obeegadoo reacted immediately in an official statement posted on the Facebook page of the Government Information Services: “I have become aware, on Sunday 28th November 2021, of allegations circulating on social networks to the effect that my daughter arrived in Mauritius yesterday, Saturday 27th November, from South Africa and that she was subsequently exempted from PCR and quarantine tests and allowed to leave the airport in violation of the conditions imposed by the Mauritian health authorities. I deny this, in the strongest possible terms, and wish to make it clear that no member of my family has visited or transited through South Africa in the recent past. These false and malicious allegations are intended to damage my reputation and harm my family, and I reserve the right to take appropriate legal action against anyone publishing or circulating such allegations,” said the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Physical Planning and Minister of Tourism.
