The Seychelles’ Public Health Authority has informed that a visitor admitted at the isolation centre at Anse Royale as part of preventive measures in place has tested negative for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Public Health Commissioner, Jude Gedeon, told a news conference on Friday morning that the Authority was alerted by a doctor who saw the 69-year-old woman, who had respiratory symptoms. The woman had reported feeling ill and wanted to see a doctor at the hotel where she was staying.
“We immediately deployed our team and went to investigate. When our doctor got there he did some examinations and although there was no fever at that time it was necessary that the person is put under observation and that we make more tests,” said Gedeon.
The 69-year-old woman arrived in Seychelles on February 20 on board Qatar Airways.
He said there are currently two Seychellois who came in from Italy placed in quarantine centre at Perseverance.
“The two persons are well but we are following quarantine procedures for the fact that Italy has many cases being reported especially in certain zones in the northern part of the country,” Gedeon said.
The Public Health Commissioner said that the World Health Organisation has alerted countries that it is not a matter of if they will get cases but a matter of when like the H1N1 when it appeared in 2009. At present, around 44 countries have reported cases.
Since January, the Public Health Authority in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, has activated its disease surveillance and response system to detect cases of the coronavirus.
The Authority is also advising people “that this outbreak is continuing to expand so people who do not need to travel to postpone their trip. An additional message we are giving is to have practices that will protect them against respiratory diseases.”
The 69-year-old and her husband are from Spain which is not listed as a country that has active community transmission.
“It has cases but imported cases at the time that the person arrived in the country on February 20. So Spain was not on the list of countries where passengers are ban from coming to Seychelles. In Europe it was only Italy that we have made the restriction,” said Gedeon.
In the latest travel advisory apart from a ban on China and its Special Administrative Region, the Public Health Authority has added South Korea, Iran and Italy.
No persons from Seychelles apart from returning residents are allowed to travel to China, including the Special Administrative Region (SAR), South Korea, Italy and Iran.
All foreign workers who are presently in China, South Korea, Italy and Iran and were planning to return to Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, are also directed to postpone their return travel until further notice.
Other measures include all airlines with inbound flights to Seychelles not boarding any passengers or crew — except returning Seychellois nationals and residents — who have been to China including the SAR, South Korea, Italy and Iran in the last 14 days.
The same applies to people travelling by sea because “any person arriving in Seychelles by sea (except returning Seychellois nationals and residents) will not be allowed to disembark if they have been to China, (including the SAR), South Korea, Italy and Iran in the last 14 days.
Furthermore, any marine vessel will not be allowed to enter Seychelles waters if any passenger on board has been to China, South Korea, Italy and Iran in the last 14 days.
Source: Seychelles News Agency
AUTHOR: Seychelles News Agency
