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Archived News

• (22/3) Passengers who arrived in Mauritius on flights MK015 from Paris Charles de Gaulle on Tuesday 17 March and on flight KQ274 from Nairobi on Wednesday 18 March are requested to contact the authorities on 2011903.
• (22/3) Increased healthcare capacity: 3 hospitals (Mahebourg, ENT hospital in Vacoas, Montagne Longue hospital) will be dedicated only for covid19 patients while Souillac hospital will be used for the most serious cases. Government vehicles will be converted for ambulance use. More equipment and protection materials like masks and gloves have been ordered (source). 15 hotels have been claimed by the government, bringing the total number of quarantine centres to "nearly 30" (source).
• (22/3) Reduced Supermarket and Petrol Station Hours, No more Markets: From Monday, March 23, supermarkets will operate from 9AM to 3PM only on weekdays, and will be closed over the weekend. Food markets (la foire) will remain closed. Fuel and household gas will be available at 70 out of the 140 petrol stations from 9AM to 3PM everyday, including weekends. (source)​ Note that this coming Wednesday (25/3) is a public holiday so services will be closed as well.​
• (22/3) Mauritians are wisening up: The hotline number (8924) has processed between 8,000 to 10,000 calls, and police record less traffic on the road (source) - Hooray! ​
• (22/3) Access to Newspapers: Le Mauricien newspaper is making its online version available for free during the period of confinement (see live coverage link here), while L'express has introduced a "simplified version" of their site with a call to purchase the full newspaper to help cover their costs (source).​
• (21/3) Permits required for going out: You can get stopped and fined by the police if you are found outside of your house, unless you have applied for and been granted a work access permit for essential services.
• (20/3) Hotels repurposed for quarantine: Emerald Beach Attitude in Belle Mare (source) and The Be Cozy Apart hotel (source) in Troux aux Biches are now also used for quarantine. 
• (20/3) Mauritians returning from overseas: Air Mauritius is making arrangements to bring Mauritian residents and their families back on three flights from Mumbai, Johannesburg, and London (source).
• (20/3) Double the Wifi: Until the end of the lockdown period, Mauritius telecom will double home broadband for customers at no additional cost. There will also be no disconnection of the line due to non-payment, as well as free channels! (source) 
• (19/3) No Going Out: Mauritius will go in lockdown from 6AM on 20 March 2020, where only essential services like the police, medical services, fire and rescue services, as well as essential businesses like banks, supermarkets, shops, bakeries, and pharmacies will operate (source).
• (18/3) No School: All schools and training centres will be closed until further notice. (source)​​​
• (18/3) No Flights In: All passengers whether locals or foreigners will be prohibited from entering Mauritius for 15 days from 6AM on 19 March 2020 to 6AM on 3 April 2020. (source)​​​ ​

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For Everyone

• If you have any symptoms at all, even if you have been tested negative, rigorously isolate yourself and do not go out for 14 days, or longer if guidance from public health officials change​. 

For the Elderly and Immunocompromised

• Don't leave your house
• Don't have your kids and grandkids (or anyone else from outside) enter your house unless it is absolutely necessary.
• If you have kids or grandkids living with you, ensure they are strictly isolated and enjoy the family time!
• Get help from others to leave you food and supplies once or twice a week, knock on your door, and say hello from more than 1m away
• If you absolutely have to leave your home for doctor's appointments, wipe door handles and anything the public touches, wash your hands regularly, don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth

For Parents of Kids Under the Age of 18

• Do not let your kids interact with other kids in your neighbourhood. Playdates are NOT OK.
• Do not take your kids to the grocery store or any public place. Keep them in the house, or the garden, as they are most likely to have no symptoms but are still able to spread to others. Decreasing the density of people in stores reduces everyone's risks, especially the workers there.
• Designate one healthy adult to shop with a targeted shopping list. Get in and get out quickly. Distance yourself from other shoppers. Wash your hands after. Plan in advance and buy enough for a few days, no need to hoard more than that!

For Young Adults

• You are by far the most socially active, and thus at the greatest risk of infecting others.
• You are also uniquely positioned to make the greatest impact on stopping the pandemic. Exercise at home to keep your immunity up, and drink lots of water.
• It is your responsibility as an adult to help the community, and change your behaviour to break the chain of infections. This means staying at home, washing your hands with soap regularly, and not touching your face.
• Think about ways you can help those who are elderly or have pre-existing conditions, or are immunocompromised in the community. They should not leave the house for at least 14 days, and possibly longer. Help organise their groceries and medicines and leave them at the front door, call or face time them regularly to decrease their sense of isolation, and if you see them outside walking, stop and talk to them at a safe distance to offer your help and ask them to stay at home.
• Do also be kind and look out for front-line workers including medical staff, cleaners, police, as well as those with less means who might not be able to stock up on provisions because of money or time. Check in with them and see how you can help.

Great People to Follow

• Dr. Sumayyah Hosany is a Mauritian doctor who has been on the front lines in Wuhan. She makes regular videos of practical advice and debunks many myths (e.g. Do homemade masks work? What about water + salt?)
• Dr. Zeenat Aumeerally has fantastic videos in creole on answers to practical questions, and her observations and explanations on the numbers and impact on the healthcare system.​​

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FAQ

​1. Where can I get news about COVID in Mauritius?

• Covid19.mu is the official website by the government with basic information and hotline numbers, they also have a facebook page.
• COVID Tracking Mauritius is the most active citizen-powered facebook group posting all the latest news on the ground.
• Morisyen San Frontyer C19 is moderated by a group of medical practitioners for all medical aspects of the virus, help-desk style.​

​2. I am feeling sick, do I have the virus?

• While it is estimated that 20%-60% of the global population will be infected with the virus at some point, there is no need to panic as most people experience only mild symptoms - but you could still spread the virus!

• So please stay at home and do not leave your house! You can also use this little chat bot to assess how likely you might be at risk. You do not have to visit a clinic if your symptoms are mild.
• If you are still unsure, call your healthcare provider over the phone first, or you can also call the Mauritius covid hotline at 8924.

3. Why is covid19 so serious then? Isn't it just like a very bad flu?

• It is new, so nobody really understands what it is or how it works
• It is highly viral: You could have the virus (and spread it) even if you are not showing any symptoms. If every sick person can infect 2 or more people, you get cases exploding exponentially.
• Nobody has immunity: So everyone could get it
• There is no vaccine or cure: While there is a lot of research and clinical trials right now, a safe and tested vaccine is realistically and optimistically 12 to 18 months away. 
• ​What this means for Mauritius: If 20% of Mauritius catches the virus at the same time, that is 253,000 people. Assuming 5% of those will need ICU beds, that is 12,650 people. We have 4,371 total beds for the whole of Mauritius across government and private clinics (Source data as of 2017)​, and if 5% were ICU beds, that would be only 218 beds, for 12,650 people.. where these beds not only have to be used for covid19 treatment, but for regular health emergencies. With free healthcare, our hospitals are already heavily utilised. That is the real problem, and that is why #flattenthecurve is trending. This is a fantastic graphic simulation of how the virus spreads, why social distancing is key to stop the cases from rising, and how to flatten the curve.​

3. How many people in Mauritius already have the virus?

• No one knows, as most people who have the virus might have none to mild symptoms.
• The first imported case was a 59-year old man who arrived in Mauritius on the 7th of March from the UK, who did not show any symptoms, and was only announced to have tested positive on 18 March, 11 days later (source). 
• (23/3) It is getting serious: Mauritius' Director of Health Services Dr. Vansatrao Gudjadhur warned today that the number of cases are doubling day by day. And if the current trend continues, there will be 2,000 cases in 10 days and 9,000 cases in a month. 735 cases are expected within 5 days, and the worst possible scenario in Mauritius is that "there will be the death of one elderly person in every home" with more than 1,131 deaths among those over 60 years of age. This will also overload the hospitals, causing collateral problems (source 1) (source 2).

4. What tests does Mauritius use? How does it work?

• Unknown. If you have any information on the tests used in Mauritius, please contact us.
• (21/3) 90 to 100 tests are being carried out every day, and testing is being done only at government hospitals (source). While private labs and clinics have been asking permission to perform tests (which would triple the testing capacity in Mauritius), they have been declined by the government.
• (22/3) An estimated 120 tests are now being carried out per day, and a private lab will now support more tests.

5. What happens when I'm in quarantine?

• Unknown. Please contact us if you have answers to this.

6. What happens when I'm tested positive?

• Unknown. Please contact us if you have answers to this.

7. What has the government done to prepare for the socio-economic impact of the virus?

• The negative impact of the virus on GDP growth is estimated to be at least 0.9% (source).
• The government reduced overall government spending by 10% including travel by ministers (source).
• The prime minister announced on 13 March a support plan "Plan de Soutien" across all sectors including local manufacturing and SMEs. These include equity participation schemes by the state investment corporation, a revolving credit fund of Rs 200M by the development bank of Mauritius, and a review of the SME Equity Fund among a litany of other initatives. More information and sectorial support can be found on EDB's press release (source).
• (23/3) Wage Support during Lockdown: The prime minister announced a Wage Assistance Scheme that will help cover 50% of all salaries up to Rs 50K during the 2-week lockdown period. This will costs the government Rs 2.6B. (source) 

Answers are coming for the following questions...

• How is the virus transmitted from one person to another?
• How long does the virus last? 
• What kills the virus?
• What can we learn from countries that have contained the virus?
• Where can I give or get help?