Two new COVID-19 cases |19 March 2020

By Elsie Pointe

The department of health has confirmed two new COVID-19 cases which brings the number of total infected persons in Seychelles to six.

These two new positive cases are a Ukrainian couple residing and working in a hotel in south Mahé.

The male counterpart of the Ukrainian couple had recently arrived back in Seychelles from an overseas trip on March 12 onboard Emirates flight EK-707.

According to the public health commissioner, Dr Jude Gedeon, the two Ukrainians are receiving the necessary care at the isolation treatment centre along with the four other COVID-19 patients.

Four out of the six confirmed cases admitted at the centre are foreigners – these are the Ukrainian couple and a Dutch couple – and the two other are a Seychellois couple who had travelled to Italy.

Dr Gedeon noted that the hotel in which the Ukrainians worked are under investigation to identify who exactly came into contact with them.

The department of health has also asked the hotel to restrict movements of people coming into and within the establishment.

“For the two new cases we are carrying out detailed investigation to find out exactly who their contacts were, where they are and how they need to be monitored,” Dr Gedeon said.

He noted that the two new cases of COVID-19 will not change the department of health’s response plan but it does add additional pressure on its resources.