Mauritius has not recorded a local case of the virus for 3 months
After its control of "Corona" ... an African island declares its need for tourists
1.4 million tourists were arriving annually to the shores of Mauritius
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Mauritius was the first African country to be able to control the spread of the Coronavirus, but the challenge it is currently facing is how to attract the tourists who represent its economic lifeline.
And Bloomberg News Agency indicates that the success of the island located in the Indian Ocean in combating the outbreak of the epidemic is unique in Africa, and it comes in light of the spread of the "Covid-19" disease resulting from infection with the virus, across the continent, as countries struggle - starting with Kenya And to South Africa - to cope with the increase in the number of cases since the easing of restrictions on the movement of people. Mauritius is one of the few places in the world that has not recorded a local transmission of the virus for more than three months.
Mauritius recorded the last death from the virus on 27 April, and was able to control the total number of confirmed cases at only 344 cases.
But in a country that relies heavily on tourism, the government is under mounting pressure to reopen its airport and save the industry, which employs nearly a fifth of the country's workforce.
"We need (set) a date to open so that the entire industry can work toward the goal," says Paul Jones, chief executive of The Lux Collective, which owns six luxury resorts and hotels in Mauritius. The Mauritian government was among the first to require travelers from China to undergo quarantine, in January. "The government of Mauritius has done a very good job," says Laurent Musango, a representative of the World Health Organization. Mauritius closed its port and airport as soon as it was confirmed that the first three injuries were recorded in the country on 18 March, and police and army personnel were deployed to impose a complete closure a week later.
The government has set clear guidelines on what people are allowed to do, to the point that it has imposed restrictions on shopping for groceries, limiting it to specific days as soon as supermarkets are allowed to reopen. There were up to 1.4 million tourists annually arriving on Mauritius' pristine beaches, and they account for 10% of the country's GDP, before the outbreak of the epidemic. Although a monthly wage aid program of 600 million rupees ($ 15.1 million) has cushioned the blow to the country's hospitality workers, Mauritius cannot live without tourists, as the government holds daily consultations. To determine when and for whom the country will reopen.
This decision is likely to be made once the airport is equipped with a laboratory to conduct tests for visitors upon arrival. Among the options currently under review is the classification of tourists according to their length of stay. So that travelers coming to the country can only stay for a week inside their resorts, and those who want to stay for more than a month may be subject to quarantine. "We are working very hard to find a solution," says Neelen Finkadasme, president of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. "It is likely that this will be done in stages," he adds. We want to preserve the advantage of being a safe destination in terms of the size of the (Covid-19) outbreak. ”
Those wishing to reside for more than a month may be subject to quarantine.
Mauritius has managed to control the total number of confirmed cases.