Guadeloupe, faced with a "catastrophic situation" in terms of the Covid-19 epidemic, will be re-defined for a period of at least three weeks from Wednesday 8 p.m., announced the prefect Alexandre Rochatte on Monday.

The Caribbean island follows the neighboring territory of Martinique, confined since Friday evening for three weeks as well.

"We are in a catastrophic situation, we have exceeded 3,000 cases per week," warned Valérie Denux, director general of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Guadeloupe, during a joint press conference with the prefect. .

"We have entered an extremely difficult phase," said Alexandre Rochatte, referring to "essential measures when we see what is happening during the weekend when the curfew has been reinstated."

From Wednesday evening, the curfew will therefore be "advanced to 8 p.m. until 5 a.m.", and during the day there will be "restrictions on movement in a sphere of 10 km around his home," he said. the prefect.

"To go further, you need a compelling reason" and a certificate will be necessary, he added.

Bars and stadiums closed

If the shops remain open, as well as the restaurants at noon, the bars will all be closed, as will the gymnasiums, stadiums and swimming pools.

It will be forbidden to picnic on the beaches and to take sound systems on the boats to organize parties.

On the beaches again, only the "dynamic" presence will be allowed, as part of a walk, swimming or individual sporting activity.

On the other hand, the so-called "static" presence will be prohibited.

"I call, insisted the prefect, that all the demonstrations of August be canceled or postponed, in particular the patronal festivals", much celebrated in Guadeloupe.

"I hope that we will not need to go further," concluded the prefect, indicating that a new point would be made next week.

No intensive care patient was vaccinated

Valérie Denux stressed that the number of Covid-19 cases had been "multiplied by more than 10 in 3 weeks".

"The incidence rate is 828 per 100,000 inhabitants. We have never reached this rate in Guadeloupe," she insisted.

Calling on "all the medical forces who would like to help us" to do so, "including those who are on leave in the territory", she also indicated that none of the 22 patients who are currently in Covid intensive care on the island were not vaccinated.

Reunion Island also resumed this weekend with partial confinement during the day for two weeks, reinforced by a strict curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.

With AFP

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