Seychelles, World's Most Vaccinated Nation, Sees Rise in COVID-19 Cases, Announces Fresh Restrictions

Team Latestly
·2 min read

Victoria, May 5: After witnessing a rise in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases over the past few days, Seychelles, known as the world's most vaccinated nation, has announced fresh restrictions. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Seychelles Health Minister Peggy Vidot said the country will close down all schools, public places, and cancel all sporting events. The restrictions may remain in place till May 24. Seychelles to Allow Entry to Vaccinated Visitors from India, Pak, Bangladesh.

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Seychelles Public Health Commissioner Jude Gedeon said that nearly 65 percent of the active COVID-19 cases were those who have not been vaccinated or have received only one dose. "There are currently 1,068 active cases numbers, among which 84 percent are Seychellois and 16 percent are foreigners," she was further quoted by the Seychelles News Agency as saying. Seychelles Central to India's Vision of Security, Growth for Indian Ocean Region: PM Modi.

Jude Gedeon also said President Wavel Ramkalawan will hold a meeting close to May 24 when a decision on whether to lift the restrictions would be taken. Seychelles, which has a population of around 98,000, has administered the COVID-19 vaccine to 62 percent of its citizens, the most for any nation in the world, Sputnik News reported. Vaccines, developed by China's Sinopharm and British-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca.

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Seychelles, located off the coast of Africa, was among the first countries in the world to reopen to international tourism after the first COVID wave last year. Recently, the tourist-reliant country revised its guidelines for foreign arrivals and said only vaccinated visitors from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who have completed two weeks after their second dose, are permitted to enter the island nation with proof of COVID-19 vaccination.