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In France, if the epidemic ebb continues day after day over most of the metropolis, the health situation in Guyana worries the authorities. The French territory, neighbor of Brazil - strongly bereaved by the pandemic -, remains indeed under high surveillance. A curfew has even been introduced in several cities, including Cayenne and Kourou. While the coronavirus continues to progress, Matignon even mentioned Sunday evening the possibility of a reconfiguration of Guyana, if this acceleration were to be confirmed. Europe 1 takes stock of the situation there.
The number of cases quadrupled in two weeks
According to the latest assessment communicated Sunday by the health authorities, 2,441 cases positive for Covid-19 have been identified in Guyana since the start of the epidemic, including 930 cured. 111 people were hospitalized on Saturday evening, and 14 are in intensive care. An 85-year-old man died on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 7.
But more than the balance sheet, it is the progression of the epidemic that worries. 278 additional cases were identified in 24 hours, according to figures released Sunday. In two weeks, the number of cases has quadrupled and doubled over the last 7 days. On Saturday, 278 tests were positive out of 869 carried out.
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The reconfiguration hypothesis
Sunday evening, the executive announced a strengthening of health capacities on the spot and explained that, if the signs of the acceleration of the epidemic were to be confirmed, "the hypothesis of a reconfiguration" of Guyana should be re-examined . For her part, Overseas Minister Annick Girardin is due to visit on Tuesday.
Sunday guest of the Guyana La 1ere newspaper, the Guyana prefect Marc Del Grande did not comment on a possible implementation date for this restructuring. "We are not going to set a date," he said. "First, we let reinforcements arrive to support our hospitals and support resuscitation capacities. We continue the weekend and week-long curfew measures (...) and when the time comes, decisions will be made . " Patience is all the more necessary, according to him, that it is "a little early to know if the curfew is working", because of the incubation period of the virus.
It will also be necessary, he continued "to see if the braking measures, severe enough, work". And to conclude: "If it works, maybe we can avoid reconfiguration".
Marc Del Grande prefect of Guyana guest of the JTSoir on June 21 pic.twitter.com/sZyCJwmPwV
- French Guiana the 1st (@ guyla1ere) June 21, 2020Extended and strengthened curfews
On Thursday, the curfew was extended in the three municipalities of Cayenne Island: Cayenne, Matoury, Rémire-Montjoly, with the aim of "avoiding overload" in the hospital system. is extended from Monday to Friday from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., and from Saturday 3 p.m. to Monday 5 a.m. And the shops in these three municipalities can only be open on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
Since Sunday evening, two new cities are concerned by this extension of the curfew: the space city of Kourou, which is the municipality on the coast most affected in number of cases of Covid-19 per inhabitant, and that of Macouria, located between Kourou and Cayenne. Again, this decision is justified by the acceleration of the epidemic.
Two municipalities, that of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock, on the border with Brazil, and Camopi, even remain confined, as is the Arc-en-Ciel City in Rémire-Montjoly.
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Matignon plans to build health capacity
Regarding health capacity building, 17 additional caregivers from the national health reserve are expected to arrive on Monday. Other healthcare teams, in particular from the AP-HP (Paris Hospitals) "will be screened from this week", specifies the government.
In addition, a unit of the 20-bed general medical emergency field hospital is to be deployed this week to accommodate non-Covid patients and thus free up additional hospital capacity. Finally, the strategy of medical evacuation, as a priority towards the Antilles and which can be extended to France if necessary, will be continued. "Two patients were evacuated on June 18 by a CASA aircraft from the air force. A new medical evacuation of two patients is being carried out," continues Matignon.
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Municipal pushed back, state of health emergency could be extended
Other measures had already been taken in recent days. On Wednesday, the National Assembly voted in favor of extending the state of health emergency, as in Mayotte, until "October 30 inclusive". For the rest of French territory, the bill organizes the exit from this state of emergency after July 10, with a period of "vigilance" during which restrictions will remain possible. The text is to be examined in the Senate this week.
And while Guyana has moved to stage 3 of the epidemic, which means that the virus is actively circulating throughout the territory, "and no longer only in limited areas", the postponement of the municipal elections scheduled for June 28 has already been decided.