MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2020) The island nation of Mauritius is struggling to cope with the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and has asked for help from several countries, including Russia, to provide medical masks, ventilation devices, and additional health care personnel, Russian ambassador to the country, Konstantin Klimovskiy, told Sputnik.
"The epidemiological situation in Mauritius is not very favorable. There are 314 confirmed cases and seven deaths. The island is small so the likelihood of transmission is extremely high. There are not enough resources to fight the pandemic. Mauritius has requested assistance from several countries, including Russia," the ambassador said.
Klimovskiy added that Mauritius has requested the delivery of medical masks, COVID-19 test kits, and ventilators. The island nation has also asked for countries to send available medical personnel to help contain the spread of the outbreak.
Mauritius has implemented stringent social distancing measures in order to slow the disease, the ambassador stated.
"The authorities have taken many measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. They introduced a curfew, self-isolation, and supermarkets were closed for roughly a week. Now the stores have opened, and the measures have been lifted somewhat. However, the police have the right to stop you and ask you where you are going. Public events have been canceled. Many ministries work remotely, and many people are staying home," Klimovskiy said.
The ambassador also stated that work is underway to evacuate the last remaining Russian tourists on the island.
"As we understand, there are countries where there are several times more tourists than Mauritius. These are Thailand and India. But we hope that our tourists, as well as their counterparts in the Seychelles and Zanzibar ... will also be repatriated as soon as possible. We hope that the process of evacuating Russians from abroad will accelerate," he said.
There are approximately 80 Russian tourists currently in Mauritius. The first cases of COVID-19 in the island nation were reported on March 19.
