COVID-19 : “To date, Monaco has recorded just one positive case”

©Direction de la Communication - Manuel Vitali

With the eight tests from yesterday (Thursday 5 March) having come back negative, the Minister of State has confirmed that “the Principality still has just one confirmed case of coronavirus. 

At the latest press briefing on the COVID-19 crisis, Serge Telle welcomed the “individual sense of responsibility shown by the people of Monaco in implementing the measures introduced by the Government since 30 January.”

“We remain focused and vigilant to tackle a virus that is also an economic issue, and which we must approach with pragmatism in this area. We have also updated H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince this morning on the impact of cancelling or postponing business events,” the Minister of State explained.

With regard to the latest developments surrounding the disease, Didier Gamerdinger, Minister of Health and Social Affairs, reiterated that, since yesterday evening, the risk areas now included the province of Asti in Piedmont and the commune of La Balme-de-Sillingy in Haute-Savoie.

In further news today, a dedicated call centre to provide information on coronavirus has been stood up (call 92.05.55.00). The centre has already received more than 60 calls and 35 emails (covid19@gouv.mc ) in a single day.

The Minister noted that for the last few days, COVID-19 tests had been carried out at the University Hospital in Nice, which has also been authorised to conduct tests using an automated system. Once approved and certified by the health authorities, this system will make it possible to obtain results in 35 minutes rather than four hours. “The Principality now plans to procure this equipment,” Mr Gamerdinger further confirmed.

On the issue of employees who are self-isolating following a visit to a risk area (a total of nearly 400 people across the private, public and independent sectors), the Minister clarified that the gesture of solidarity expressed through coverage by the social security funds would not be extended to individuals who knowingly travel to one of these clearly identified areas. In addition, beyond a salary ceiling of €7,830, employees will be reimbursed in accordance with a scale.

Turning next to employers, those who experience difficulties, particularly in the event of a significant drop in revenue (on the basis of an existing framework, since this measure is already in operation), will be able to apply for the right to defer payment of social security contributions or make use of temporary lay-offs to avoid the need for redundancies.

In conclusion, Didier Gamerdinger offered reassurance with respect to the health of the only Monegasque patient who had tested positive for the disease. “They have no symptoms, and so it is expected that they will return home where they will be kept in monitored isolation.”

Jean Castellini, Minister of Finance and Economy, then announced that “there was no net loss for the Monegasque economy in terms of cancellations or postponements of conventions and trade fairs. In partnership with the industry and organisers, everything is being done to reduce the impact on the first quarter and early part of the second quarter, with the hope that we will see a rebound towards the end of the year,” he said, citing the example of the Anti-Ageing Congress, which was planned for April but has been postponed to November.

Finally, Christophe Prat, Director General of the Ministry of the Interior, reported that absenteeism in schools had continued to decline, with 15% of pupils absent (down from 20% on the first day back), compared with around 10% during the same period last year.