French Polynesia has so far been spared by the epidemic. However, the territory has experienced a worrying increase in positive cases of coronavirus for three days, according to a press release from the presidency of the community.
A long queue stretched Monday in Papeete in front of the Louis Malardé Institute, which carries out the tests and their analysis. Result: forty-three new cases have been identified since Saturday. Almost as many as the 60 or so cases reported since the start of the epidemic in March. When the first cases were announced in March, Polynesia had taken rapid protective measures: containment and the closure of airlines for several months, as well as a curfew for several weeks.
Cases imported by tourists ... and officials
But the local economy depends on tourism, and the government has chosen to reopen its lines to the European and American markets in mid-July, without imposing a quarantine. All passengers must, however, present a negative test before boarding, and perform a self-test four days after arrival. The virus has been reintroduced by tourists, but also by civil servants: each year, some teachers and gendarmes are replaced by new arrivals.
The clusters are restaurants where festive evenings were organized, but several cases have also been detected among the nursing staff of the French Polynesia hospital center. Tahiti, the most inhabited island, is the most affected, but there are also cases in Bora Bora, Moorea and Rangiroa.
According to the presidency, among the 50 cases detected in recent weeks, "10 were infected abroad and 38 cases were locally contaminated". For the other two positive cases, “no epidemiological link” could be detected. The start of the school year must take place this week in Polynesia. The local government has not announced any restrictions on gatherings yet. However, some sports federations, such as rugby, have already suspended their training and competitions. Since the start of the epidemic, French Polynesia has recorded no deaths linked to the coronavirus.
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