We all know that the Omicron virus is spreading fast…. Rodrigues, which for months has been Covid, is hard hit. There are more than 200 positive cases in the island.
It all started last Wednesday, we had the first indications of the presence of Covid-19 in the island. And at the end of the morning, the first figures of at least 14 first confirmed cases were evoked with the confirmation taking place during the press briefing in the early afternoon with the fear that Rodrigues could experience an accelerating rate of contagion with the results of the Contact Tracing exercise. Access to the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital was prohibited except for extreme emergencies and health centers on the island are now under strict health and medical surveillance.
But as of Friday evening, the number of cases is estimated to be 200 or more, with about 100 admissions to the various public health centers.
At a press conference this afternoon, Franchette Gaspard Pierre-Louis, announced that a half containment is in effect in Rodrigues. She explained that a total containment would have too many negative consequences. The regional government has decided on a ‘semi-lockdown’ in order to limit as much as possible the movements. Franchette Gaspard-Pierre Louis, said that measures are taken to limit the number of people working in the public service. The team system will be favored as well as telecommuting. An appeal has been made to the private sector to follow the example of the public service.
In addition, a delegation is currently visiting Rodrigues on board the Dornier. It is led by Dr. Sok Appadu, head of the ENT hospital.
The main pharmacy where there was a long queue last Thursday is closed since yesterday, Friday. The reason is that an employee tested positive for covid. For a long day, people came in turn to buy medicine and went home. The other pharmacy is crowded with people with a month’s worth of medication available.
