Mauritius shuts schools as COVID-19 cases soar

Mauritius has closed all schools as the number of COVID cases continue to rise.

Education minister Leela Devi Dookhun-Lutchoomun made the announcement in a statement on national television on Tuesday.

She said all classes would be held online from Thursday.

The country has recorded 1,856 cases of COVID in learning institutions since 18 October.

The Indian Ocean Island has had a recent surge in the number of COVID deaths, with 42 occurring in the past week and 14 of them aged below 60 years.

About two-thirds of the Mauritian population has been fully vaccinated.