Health press conference: Covid-19 update |05 March 2021
Dr Louange and Dr Gedeon during the press conference yesterday (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
264 minors contract Covid
People under the age of 18 have not been spared by the coronavirus in Seychelles as the Ministry of Health has recorded a total of 264 minors who have contracted the virus.
However, they are not affected as severely by it and oftentimes they will be asymptomatic or show mild symptoms only.
This information came out in yesterday’s weekly press conference by the health ministry at the Sheikh Khalifa Diagnostic Centre where Public Health Commissioner, Dr Jude Gedeon, and the chief executive of the Health Care Agency (HCA), Dr Danny Louange, gave a breakdown of the local development of the Covid cases, vaccination campaign, measures being taken, opening of borders as well as isolation and quarantine facilities.
Currently the total number of recorded Covid cases is 2,928 after 38 new cases were recorded since the last update. They are mostly from samples taken on March 2. Fifty (50) cases met discharge criteria yesterday and have been discharged to convalescence.
Of the total number of 2,928 cases, 333 are active while 2,582 have recovered. Seychelles has recorded 13 Covid-related deaths.
“It is important to note that since our last update the number of active cases has gone down which shows that more people are recuperating day by day,” said Dr Gedeon.
He added that we keep seeing a downward trend in the number of positive cases which is partly due to the guidelines being followed as well as the ongoing vaccination campaign.
Regarding the vaccination programme, 56,261 people have taken the first dose of either the Sinopharm of Covishield vaccines which covers 80% of the target population and 57% of the total population, while 24,602 people have taken both jabs which accounts to 35% of the target population and 25% of the total population.
“It is important that turnout continues to go up and people take both doses of the Covid vaccine. We are currently first in the world when it comes to the total number of people who have taken the first dose of the vaccine. This is a big achievement for a country as small as Seychelles, especially during a time where access to vaccine is quite difficult,” said Dr Gedeon.
He added that even though this is a win for the country we mustn’t relax just yet as we are still unaware if the vaccine will be effective against the other variants of the virus.
Dr Gedeon noted that in time there might be people who will require to take a booster shot or get another type of vaccine.
“It is important to put this outbreak under control as we are working with the tourism department to launch our tourism industry by opening the borders,” said the public health commissioner.
Most of our frontline workers have already been fully vaccinated. Also, 90% of the staff of the Ministry of Education and post-secondary institutions have been vaccinated.
He also mentioned that the process of opening schools will take place gradually starting the second week of March.
Regarding the facilities, Dr Louange noted that there are 20 patients who had been admitted in the Family Hospital at Persévérance. One suspect case, 11 mild symptoms, six moderate symptoms, two in critical condition. Four people are currently in the intensive care unit (ICU), two are in moderate conditions and two are hooked to heart monitors.
“We also have 10 patients at the Coast Guards facility, 66 patients at the Avani Resort & Spa facility and 30 at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay. The La Digue facility has 19 patients while Praslin has 11,” said Dr Louange.
The doctor also announced that as from Monday March 8, the ministry will open its specialised clinic at the Yellow Roof building. He noted there will be a reduction in the number of people they will be seeing as they want to keep in line with the health guidelines.
He also added that they will also prioritise patients who are most at risk to see specialists first.
Christophe Zialor