A new cruise hit by the coronavirus. After the detection of a positive case of Covid-19 aboard a Ponant ship which crisscrosses French Polynesia, the 148 passengers and its 192 crew members were confined aboard the "Paul Gauguin" at the port of Papeete, said Sunday the High Commission of the Republic in French Polynesia.
French Polynesia has so far been little affected by the epidemic. There are 62 cases there and no deaths. And above all, no new case had been detected there for several weeks. But on July 15, this overseas community reopened its flights from Europe and the United States, to allow tourism to restart.
The isolated "patient zero"
Since that date, passengers who disembark in French Polynesia are no longer subject to quarantine. However, they must present a negative Covid test result before embarking for Polynesia, then perform a self-sample, analyzed by the Louis Malardé Institute, four days after their arrival. It was one of these self-samples that turned out to be positive.
Departed Thursday, the passengers learned of the presence of the virus on board during the night from Saturday to Sunday. They are now instructed not to leave their cabin, where their meals are delivered. They were all tested on board this Sunday. Most are Polynesian residents but she is a tourist who would have tested positive.
The "Paul Gauguin" made a stopover in Bora Bora before the company was informed of the presence of a contaminated passenger. The high commission did not wish to communicate on the nationality of the passenger. He nevertheless indicated that she had been isolated "in a dedicated place", just like a relative who shared her cabin and whose test was negative. State and community authorities will communicate Monday, after the results of the tests, on the health options chosen. Quarantine on board is not excluded.
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