Mozambican man repatriated from Portugal is the 81st confirmed Covid-19 case in Mozambique – A Verdade

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Mozambican man repatriated from Portugal is the 81st confirmed Covid-19 case in Mozambique – A Verdade

11:37 CAT | 06 May 2020

Photo: A Verdade

One of the 215 occupants of a repatriation flight of Mozambicans from Portugal tested positive for the new coronavirus, becoming the 81st person infected in the country.

Although all the remaining travellers tested negative, they must comply with the mandatory quarantine in Maputo city, except for the 22 Mozambicans who are in transit. “They [those in transit] are currently negative and will be transferred to their destination provinces, where they will be quarantined,” National Director of Public Health Dr Rosa Marlene announced.

Surpassing for the first time the 200 tests in 24 hours benchmark, the National Institute of Health (INS) tested 269 suspected cases between Monday (04) and Tuesday (05), among which one came back positive for Covid-19.

“Regarding Case 81 announced today: this is a 46-year-old man, a Mozambican national, who is in the city of Maputo and is related to the mass testing of passengers on the TAP flight last Sunday. The patient does not show symptoms, and is therefore in isolation at home. According to Ministry of Health protocol, the mapping of his contacts is underway,” Dr Marlene announced.

According to the Health Authority, 215 of the tests carried out in the last 24 hours are occupants of the TAP Mozambican repatriation flight that landed in Maputo on Sunday night (03). As they come from a country with high transmission rates, “We recommend that all passengers on that flight stay in quarantine for 14 days, even those who tested negative for the Covid-19 infection test,” Dr Marlene added.

Dr Marlene confirmed that the passengers on the flight from Lisbon left without having been tested, but said they had all been under lock-down during the weeks prior to their departure, in common with all of Portugal’s residents.

Dr Sérgio Chicumbe, National Director for Health Survey and Monitoring, explained that the 22 passengers in transit to the provinces “are currently negative will be transferred to the destination provinces where they will be quarantined, once the transport issues are addressed”.

He also clarified that the foreign passengers on the TAP flight “had plausible reasons to travel to Mozambique – they are residents”.

By Adérito Caldeira

Source: A Verdade