FOREIGN YACHTS BANNED FROM SEYCHELLES WATERS AS GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES SWEEPING MEASURES TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF #COVID19
(Posted 21st March 2020)
Effective immediately will Seychelles citizens returning from the US and Australia join a throng of other nations which will prompt a 14 day quarantine, it was announced yesterday evening.
Among the 7 cases now registered are three Seychellois, two Dutch nationals, one Ukrainian and one Mauritian citizen.
President Faure had earlier yesterday announced 7 key measures already, which are:
First: from Monday 23 March, I am imposing a 30-day ban on all foreign travel by our citizens, except for medical emergencies as approved by the Department of Health. The legal instrument to allow for the implementation of this measure will be published on Monday 23 March.
Second: all foreign workers on a GOP and outside Seychelles today, will not be able to return to the country until further notice. This takes immediate effect.
Third: No new GOPs will be issued until further notice. This also takes immediate effect.
Fourth: all public schools and day cares on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue will remain closed until further notice. This includes all post-secondary institutions, the University of Seychelles and the Guy Morel Institute.
Fifth: as Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, I have asked military personnel who left the Defence Forces in the last 3 years to join the Reserve, in line with the existing law. This will give us further resources in these exceptional times.
Sixth: We are increasing the capacity of our quarantine and treatment facilities.
We will receive more equipment and medicine from friendly countries.
With the support of the World Health Organisation, we have finalised a programme to receive additional human resource support if necessary.
In the next 3 weeks, we will have a new quarantine facility on Ile du Swet.
Seventh: I have asked all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Government to identify human resources to follow rapid training in contact tracing, with the aim of supporting the Department of Health and increase their capacity to carry out their work.
Also announced was an immediate ban on foreign yachts entering Seychelles waters though no provisions were announced for such vessels if in distress or in urgent need of resupplying with provisions.
Notably has the government in Victoria also decided to close the treatment facility in Anse Royale and shift it close to to the isolation centre on Perseverance Island, to ensure sufficient capacity should more cases emerge in coming days.
