Third Seychellois tested positive for COVID-19 |21 March 2020
Dr Louange and Dr Gedeon during the press conference (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
CoronavirusupdateFriday20march2020
A Seychellois tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Thursday, bringing to seven the number of people receiving treatment at the Family Hospital, Perseverance, which has now been declared as a fully operational isolation centre.
The isolation centre had since late Thursday evening been shifted from its previous location at the Anse Royale Hospital to its new location at the Family Hospital at Ile Perseverance.
It was the chief executive of the Health Care Agency, Dr Danny Louange, who made the statement during a press briefing at the Seychelles Hospital to give an update on the situation of the COVID-19 in the country. Also present was the Public Health Commissioner, Dr Jude Gedeon.
It also came out that the United States of America (USA) and Australia have been added on the travel ban advisory list joining European Union countries England, Switzerland, as well as China, Iran, South Korea including French departments Reunion and Mayotte. Visitors from those countries will not be allowed in the country while Seychellois coming from those countries will go straight into quarantine.
The six previous positive cases are the two other Seychellois who travelled to Italy, one Dutch tourist couple (Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort), a Ukrainian and a Mauritian who was locally infected due to close contact with the Ukrainian. The Seychellois who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday was also infected due to close contact with the Ukrainian.
Dr Louange also stated that the number of people in quarantine at the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) base at Perseverance has also increased from 13 to 22 persons who include three children.
He noted that though all resources have been moved to assist the isolated patients at the Family Hospital, the Anse Royal Hospital, now empty, will stay as a back up for any eventuality that may occur.
He claimed that the Family Hospital is more fitting in terms of resources and space to cater for the infected patients.
Dr Louange also said that a British and a South Korean tourists are being placed in the isolation centre based in one wing of the Baie St Anne Hospital on Praslin, awaiting test results in relation to coronavirus.
He explained that the Ministry of Health is extending its quarantine facilities with the acquisition of Maison Football as its latest quarantine centre among other facilities being renovated for such services. Three Seychellois are currently on quarantine at the facility whereas four Russians who are on transit and were quarantined there were expected to leave the country last night.
On the recent discovery of the COVID-19 in the third Seychellois, who is also the third person from a hotel in South Mahé to be tested positive for the coronavirus and who was on house quarantine, Dr Gedeon said that he was placed on house quarantine based on guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Under the same guidelines, the whole hotel is being placed under quarantine for fourteen days since the detection of two infected persons on its premises, with no one leaving or entering the hotel. As the Seychellois worker was among those from outside, he was confined to house quarantine like others though he showed no sign of the symptoms.
Dr Gedeon noted that, as per the WHO, if your facilities are overwhelmed the next measure to contain the virus is through home quarantine where the person is given strict guidelines as to how to isolate himself or herself from the rest living in the house.
He said it’s a pity at times that people do not follow guidelines given to them.
He said that through contact tracing, the rest of his family and those who have been in contact with him are being constantly monitored. Actually there are five people on home quarantine at the moment.
He further said that apart from preventing cruise ships from entering Seychelles, pleasure boats will also not be allowed to enter.
Asked about whether the situation has gone out of hand due to the seven reported positive cases, Dr Gedeon replied that the containment of the virus outbreak is still under control as each reported case has been traced to a contact person. He noted that only when people come in right, left and centre, infected with the virus through community transmission that it can be declared out of hand as no one knows where it comes from.
Dr Gedeon said that the ministry has put forward a set of guidelines for safe burial or incineration which will be distributed to churches and funeral parlours.
He said that the ministry will be working closely with the police and the army to get people to respect isolation periods.
He called on people to be more responsible towards their own health and the health of others and to obey instructions given, hence avoiding heavy handed treatment by the authority.
With regard to the Dutch male tourist in isolation at the Family Hospital, Dr Louange said his health is deteriorating and has been classified as very critical.
He said that no health officials involved with the containment of the virus have shown any signs of contracting the virus.
He also said that work is being carried out to convert the old hospital at Baie St Anne Praslin into an isolation centre.
Patrick Joubert