Sébastien Lecornu (left), Emmanuel Macron’s Minister for Overseas France, has promised to send around 200 health workers to help hospital staff in Polynesia who are overwhelmed by the pandemic.
This was a request from French Polynesia. The Minister for Overseas Territories also promised that the State will also ensure the supply of medical equipment and consumables as well as vaccines. Senator Teva Rohfritsch is currently in Paris as Parliament is due to examine the bill authorising the extension of the state of health emergency from 9 September.
More deaths than anywhere else in the South Pacific
In French Polynesia, the pandemic is far from being under control. This territory of 279,000 inhabitants currently has 446 deaths. In proportion to its population, French Polynesia has far more deaths than any other country in the Pacific. The High Commissioner of the Republic, Dominique Sorain, and the President of French Polynesia, Edouard Fritch, announced on Friday 3 September the continuation of the general lockdown in French Polynesia. The lockdown and curfew will be extended for a fortnight, until 20 September. The closure of schools will be maintained for one week.
Too much waiting for vaccination
The figures are so alarming that Emmanuel Macron’s minister has denounced the delay in vaccinating the population. Wallis and Futuna, the other French archipelago in the region, has beaten the virus. After a handful of deaths, it has become Covid free again.
And meanwhile, New Caledonia taunts the world with still zero deaths and zero cases of local covid. All 136 infected people got off the plane from Paris. They were all immediately sent to hospital, under good medical escort…
