COMORES – REUNION
A first case of the South African variant of the Coronavirus has been detected in Réunion. The virus arrived from the Comoros
This is a patient in intensive care at Bellepierre hospital in St Denis; he had been evacuated from the Comoros. According to the ARS, the risk of dissemination by this patient is low because he followed a secure route from the start. “The nursing staff strictly respected the protocols” assure the authorities. The fact remains that all the personnel who participated in his care are tested. The virus was identified in Lyon, but as of today Reunion will have the necessary material for the sequencing of the virus, allowing to know, in 48 hours, which strain it is. 35 people, tested positive, came from Mayotte to Reunion in the last two weeks, their samples will be analyzed to find out if it is “501-Y-V2”, the code name for the South African variant.
MADAGASCAR
The number of cases has quadrupled in one week. An Antananarivo hospital is dedicated exclusively to Covid patients, but it is in poor condition
The Andohatapenaka University Hospital is however not old, it was inaugurated in 2014, but nothing is going well. A report by Rfi describes the broken taps, the broken toilets, the blackouts. The last straw for a Covid unit: the oxygen generator no longer works. You have to rely on generosity to get bottles. Staff threaten to go on strike to demand masks, gloves, gowns, and payment of a promised bonus. The lab is overwhelmed and running slowly; it takes up to 14 days to get a test result. We fear the second wave there more than anywhere else.
MOZAMBIQUE
Mozambique is hit hard by second wave of virus, with death toll last week
18 dead in 24 hours, Mozambique had never reached such a toll since the start of the epidemic in March 2020. 10 men and 8 women died in hospital. Of these 18 patients only 8 were over 65 years old, the others were middle aged, 34 to 54 years old, and even a young person under 24 years old. Mozambique being on the border with South Africa, it is the South African variant, which is more contagious, which is still in question. The country has not confined the population but strong restrictions have come into force for businesses and restaurants which must close at 8:00 p.m. during the week and not open at weekends in the evening. A state of national calamity has been declared since midnight Friday.
ZANZIBAR
Zanzibar island loses two luxury hotels ravaged by flames, all guests were rescued
On Saturday night shortly after 2:00 a.m., the Ocean Paradize and Tui Blue, two five-star establishments, went up in smoke before firefighters could intervene. Both hotels were built with traditional materials, wooden-frame bungalows with palm roofs. The fire reached a room in which were stored 4,000 liters of fuel oil intended to supply the generators. There are no casualties, the 338 tourists who were sleeping were all evacuated in time. It is a blow to Zanzibar tourism after the collapse of the Sultan’s Palace in Stone-Town last month. There is only a pile of stones left of this historic monument which was being renovated.
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