Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Port Louis, Mauritius

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April 27, 2020

Location:  Mauritius, Seychelles, and Reunion (France – Overseas Department)

Event:

The Mauritius Ministry of Health has confirmed 332 cases of COVID-19.

The government of Mauritius has implemented measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. Travelers should be prepared for restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice. U.S. citizens who are considering returning to the United States are urged to work with their airlines to make travel arrangements while flights are still available.

Effective March 20, 2020, a period of confinement has been announced. On April 10, the period of confinement was extended to May 4. Essential services including police, medical, and fire rescue continue to operate. Schools and universities are closed until further notice.

Effective March 23, 2020, a curfew is in place from 20:00 to 08:00 local time until further notice. No one is permitted to be in the streets during those hours except for emergency purposes.

Effective March 24, 2020, an increased shutdown is in effect. Supermarkets and grocery stores reopened on April 2 with government-imposed regulations and restricted access based on surnames. Pharmacies and banks are operating with reduced hours and additional regulations. The Ministry of Commerce and the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry have established a website for the distribution of essential goods.

Visit the Mauritius Ministry of Health website for additional information.

If you are planning on departing Mauritius to return to the United States but have been unable to obtain space on a commercial flight, please contact PTLConsular@State.gov with your name, the names of your immediate family members who are also traveling, and all appropriate contact information. The U.S. Embassy is unable to provide travel assistance to countries other than the United States. While no commercial options may currently exist, should one become available U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States are strongly urged to arrange travel immediately. As the Covid-19 situation develops, our ability to provide assistance working with commercial airlines or arrange for evacuation flights may become more limited or even unavailable. There is no guarantee that the Department of State will be able to continue to provide repatriation assistance and transportation options to the United States may be unavailable in the future. If you choose to remain overseas, you should be prepared to remain where you are for the foreseeable future.

The Seychelles Department of Health has confirmed 11 cases of COVID-19.

The government of Seychelles has implemented measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. Travelers should be prepared for restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice.

The U.S. Embassy in Port Louis, Mauritius and the U.S. Consular Agency in Victoria, Seychelles have become aware of a special Qatar Airways flight (QR679) departing Seychelles tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28, 2020 at 18:00 for Doha, Qatar. Seats are available for purchase directly through Qatar Airways. U.S. citizens travelling to the United States must have onward tickets or risk being denied boarding and/or entry to Qatar. Onward flights to Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, and Washington, DC may be available directly through Qatar Airways. If you are not prepared to remain in Seychelles for the foreseeable future, please contact Qatar Airways immediately at +248 4303550-600 or visit their website at https://www.qatarairways.com/ to purchase tickets.

U.S. citizens are currently permitted to transit Doha only with an onward flight to the United States. Travelers are not permitted to leave the international zone and will not be admitted to Qatar. Food and other services in the transit area may be extremely limited. Passengers must be prepared to be self-sufficient during their transit. Additional information regarding entry, exit, and transit requirements for Qatar can be found at the U.S. Embassy in Qatar Covid-19 web pages at https://qa.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-3/ and https://qa.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-4/

Note that any non-Seychelles nationals who departs Seychelles may not be permitted to return for a period of three months from the date of exit, and that future returns may be subject to further approval from the relevant authorities. If you intend to return to Seychelles in the foreseeable future, please consult legal counsel.

U.S. citizens who choose to remain in Seychelles should be prepared for an indefinite stay. 

The Reunion Regional Public Health Agency has confirmed 417 cases of COVID-19 in Reunion.

The Reunion Regional Public Health Agency has implemented measures to limit the spread of the COVID-19. Travelers should be prepared for restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice. U.S. citizens who are considering returning to the United States are urged to work with their airlines to make travel arrangements while flights are still available.

Effective March 20, 2020, travelers arriving for pleasure, such as tourism and family visits, are not permitted entry to Reunion Island. All other passengers are screened by medical staff.

Effective March 30, 2020, travelers arriving in Reunion will be transported from the airport directly to quarantine centers. They will not be allowed to go to their homes or have in-person contact with external visitors for the following 14 days.

Visit the Reunion Regional Public Health Agency (French) for additional information.

U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. As the Covid-19 situation develops, our ability to provide assistance working with commercial airlines or arrange for evacuation flights may become more limited or even unavailable. There is no guarantee that the Department of State will be able to continue to provide repatriation assistance and transportation options to the United States may be unavailable in the future. If you choose to remain overseas, you should be prepared to remain where you are for the foreseeable future.

The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for COVID-19.

Actions to Take:

Assistance:

By | 27 April, 2020 | Topics: Alert

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