New Airport Covid Laboratory Operational
This new high-tech facility which is part of the special set-up for the gradual opening of borders is now operational and is expected to start testing incoming passengers as from Thursday 15 October 2020.
As part of the local protocol in place since the 01 October 2020, nasopharyngeal swabs are effected on all incoming passengers. These were previously sent to the national testing centre in Candos. Henceforth, the swabs will be tested at the airport laboratory itself and it is envisaged that results will be available after a few hours only. This enhancement will allow more rapid testing and confirmation of the status of passengers.
Since the gradual reopening of borders beginning of October 2020, more than 1350 passengers have flown into Mauritius and only 11 were tested Covid-19 positive. This is despite the requirement for all intending passengers to produce a negative PCR test result (effected less than 7 days) prior to embarkation.
As at date, some 35 imported active cases are being treated in the specialised medical centres. Mauritius remains Covid- safe with respect to the absence of local cases in the community.