"The hypothesis of a reconfiguration" of Guyana will have to be re-examined if the signs of an acceleration of the epidemic of coronavirus are confirmed, warned Matignon Sunday by announcing a reinforcement of the sanitary capacities on this French territory neighboring Brazil.
LIVE - Follow the situation on Sunday June 21
The executive has already announced the postponement in Guyana of the municipal elections scheduled for June 28, the transition to stage 3 of the epidemic and proposed to Parliament the extension of the state of health emergency beyond July 11. Sunday, the government announced new measures facing the "abrupt acceleration for ten days", especially in the metropolitan area of Cayenne.
Annick Girardin will be on site Tuesday
According to the latest figures released on Sunday, the epidemic has progressed with 278 additional cases in 24 hours, to settle at 2,441 cases positive for Covid-19 (including 930 cured), 97 hospital patients and 14 in intensive care, for six deaths at total.
"If the reproduction rate remains high in the coming days and the signs of an acceleration of the circulation of the virus are maintained, the hypothesis of a reconfiguration of Guyana will have to be re-examined", warns Matignon in a statement, adding that Edouard Philippe asked Annick Girardin, Minister of Overseas, to go there Tuesday.
As of Monday, 17 additional caregivers from the national health reserve must arrive on site. Other healthcare teams, in particular from the AP-HP (Paris Hospitals) "will be screened from this week". In addition, a unit of the 20-bed general medical emergency field hospital will be deployed this week to receive non-Covid patients and thus free up additional hospital capacity.
Extended curfew in three towns on Cayenne Island
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 plane from the air force. A new medical evacuation of two patients is underway," said Matignon.
Faced with the Covid-19 epidemic, authorities announced Thursday that the curfew has been extended in the three towns of Cayenne Island, while two patients have been evacuated to the West Indies. "The curfew may be extended to areas of the territory," said Matignon on Sunday, while foci of contamination are also spreading "across the coast, the west and the Maroni".