Rare good news from COVID-19: Other health ailments in Seychelles have decreased

Thanks to the social distancing and good hygiene practised during the last several months, several illnesses have decreased in Seychelles. (Seychelles News Agency)

(Seychelles News Agency) - Ailments such as respiratory disease and stomach flu have decreased in Seychelles during the COVID-19 era thanks to the social distancing and good hygiene practised during the last several months, the Public Health Commissioner said Thursday.

Illnesses like conjunctivitis have also decreased in people age 5 and older, Jude Gedeon told a news conference.

Meanwhile, commercial and cargo flights planning to come to Seychelles when the international airport reopens on June 1 must apply for authorisation with the health authorities.

"As from 1^st June, private jets, chartered flights or yachts that want to bring visitors here must make an application. There will be a form available online as of tomorrow that they will need to fill and provide all the recommended information. These will be vetted to find out if all the information is correct and based on if they have done the COVID-19 tests they will be allowed to come in," said Gedeon.

Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, is free of COVID-19 as all 11 patients who once tested positive have fully recovered. However, there are still 89 people in quarantine and the chief executive of the Health Care Agency, Danny Louange, said that out of this 80 are at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay quarantine centre.

Gedeon added that as part of the COVID-19 prevention measures in place, for the time being, visitors going to other island establishments will be allowed in the island nation.

"The visitors will not be allowed to go out of the establishment for 14 days, which will be like a form of quarantine. The same will apply to tourism establishment on the main island who meets the criteria for receiving visitors,' said Gedeon.

Other conditions for visitors to come to Seychelles are that they have to come from low-risk countries, they have been tested for COVID-19 and screened at the airport of origin. A complete list will be made available on the Department of Health's website at http://www.health.gov.sc/

Gedeon said the health authorities will "evaluate how things go during the month and then we will see what we will allow in July and August."