Caledonia is heading towards a Tahitian scenario.
Since 6 September, 33 people have died from Covid in New Caledonia. The resuscitation department of the Dumbéa public hospital had 54 patients in intensive care on 21 September. At this rate, it will be full next weekend. Christopher Gygès, the local government member in charge of the digital economy, mentioned in his press conference an explosion of numbers. All municipalities are indeed affected. The number of confirmed cases of covid is now approaching 5,000 for a total population of around 280,000 people.
The rate of vaccinations is decreasing
Specialists had predicted that as soon as the virus entered Caledonia, it would wreak havoc. Unfortunately, their predictions were right. The authorities hoped to limit the disaster with the vaccine. The vaccine is readily available in New Caledonia as the doses are offered by the French government. As soon as the first cases of covid appeared, Caledonians rushed to the vaccination centres (vaccinodrome). However, over the last few days, the rate of vaccinations has largely decreased. Just under 3,000 people were vaccinated on 20 September, whereas the government’s objective was to reach at least 5,000 vaccinations per day. Currently, only 30% of the population is vaccinated.
Nearly 600 deaths in Polynesia
Health specialists are pessimistic about the situation and fear that the covid could kill several hundred Caledonians (nearly 600 in French Polynesia). 75 people (doctors, nurses, nurses’ aides, physiotherapists, technicians) arrived yesterday from France to reinforce the staff. A medical plane should also evacuate patients to a hospital in France. It is not certain that this will be enough to avoid the worst. The worst being the impossibility of treating everyone…
