Community urged to observe public health measures as Covid-19 infections rise |01 December 2020

The Ministry of Health has warned of the increasing threat posed by Covid-19 following detection of nine new cases, inclusive of two healthcare workers.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases to 183 and the ministry is urging members of the public to respect and practice preventive measures.

The two healthcare workers are Seychellois frontline personnel who work in quarantine. They have been placed under isolation.

Being on the frontline in the fight against the pandemic, healthcare workers face great risk of infection from Covid-19.

Since the initiation of the National Response Plan, the Ministry of Health has worked hard to prevent health worker infection and is reinforcing its efforts to reduce health worker infections. The Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Unit

has trained more than 68% health staff in IPC.

Of the newly recorded cases, six were already in quarantine and they tested positive during the routine testing at end of their quarantine period. They are two Seychellois, three Russians and one French.

Lastly, one is a German visitor who arrived on Saturday and was transferred into quarantine after testing positive during random tests at the airport.

While they all remain asymptomatic, they have been placed in isolation at the Isolation Treatment Centre and the Coastguard Quarantine and relevant contact tracing procedures initiated.

The Ministry of Health is advising members of the public to stay safe from Covid-19 and support the efforts of the National Response to the pandemic by following some simple precautions to break the chain of transmission:

• Wear your fabric face masks

• Avoid crowded places and maintain social & physical distancing

• Clean your hands regularly

• and, practice good respiratory etiquette covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Press release from the Ministry of Health