Machine Translated:
Dili, 17 ago 2021 (Lusa) – The Ministry of Education today announced new suspension of in-person teaching in all public and private schools in the municipality of Dili until at least August 31, due to increased cases of covid-19.
A dispatch signed today by the Minister of Education, Armindo Maia, determines the immediate suspension of the ′′ process of teaching and learning in the in-person regime in public and private education and education institutions integrated into the public service educational offer network and educational establishments. private education, in Dili municipality, between August 17, 2021 “.
During this period, reference to the order, school leaders must ′′ ensure continuity of the process of teaching and learning, through the modality of distance learning, by students at different levels and modalities of education and teaching “.
Ministry of Health source told Lusa that in the last week several infected pupils reported at various educational establishments in the capital, needless to specify the numbers.
Among the schools operating in Dili, the only one not directly affected is the Portuguese School of Dili, which is in a lethal disruption, as it works on the Portuguese school calendar, different from those applied in Timor-Leste that normally runs between February and November.
Armindo Maia’s dispatch takes into account the measures envisaged in the state of emergency that applies in East Timor and ′′ the high degree of public health risk, which constitutes the covid-19 pandemic in East Timor, having several Delta variant cases have been identified “.
It also highlights the need to ′′ mitigate the risk of local or community transmission and its spread within the educational community and their families “.
The latest data, released on Monday, confirm that Timor-Leste is experiencing the second wave of the pandemic, with three deaths and 117 cases in the previous 24 hours.
Accounting for the new infections, and the total of 41 recovered cases, total active cases in the country increased to 2.141 and the total accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic rose to 12.682.
Dili currently has 887 active cases, Ermera 695, Covalima 180 and the enclave of Oecusse a total of 98.
′′ The number of cases of covid-19 in East Timor is increasing, and it is likely to increase further, with the rapid spread of the Delta variant. In populations with high vaccine coverage, this is likely to result primarily in slight cases “, the weekly epidemiological bulletin released on Monday refers.
′′ However, there is a very high risk of severe cases and deaths in people who are not fully vaccinated. It is important that vaccination be increased in lesser vaccines covered municipalities, including Ermera, Ainaro, Aileu and Liquica “, stresses.
Last week alone, until August 15, Timor-Leste recorded 1.036 new infections, representing 8,2 % of all cases recorded in the country since the beginning of the pandemic (12.565), with one of the days being one of the newest infections.
Increase in cases led to the incidence rate nearly doubling from 6,1 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants in the week between August 02 and August 08 to 11,2 per 100 thousand inhabitants in the week up to 15 August th
As for vaccination, by August 15, a total of 340.703 people had the first dose, or 45,1 % of the population of the country over 18, with full vaccination covering 127.600 people , or 16,9 % of the population
ASP // SB
Lusa / End
