The regional prefect of Reunion, Jacques Billant, announced on Wednesday the establishment of a curfew on the island from Saturday evening, the day after New Years Eve, from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. a period of three weeks, i.e. until January 23 inclusive.
The island has already gone under a state of health emergency on Monday, due to the deterioration of the health situation.
"We must act to curb the exponential circulation of the virus in the island since the beginning of the week", explained the prefect during a press conference to justify the implementation of new restrictive measures.
“For 2 days, the average has been 1,250 cases per day, nearly one in 4 screened cases is potentially a case of the Omicron variant,” explained Martine Ladoucette, director of the Regional Health Agency, alongside him.
"We are indeed entering the Omicron wave," she warned.
It was on the island that the first French case of Omicron was identified.
Reinforced police checks
"The health situation requires us to limit our social interactions in the coming weeks" and "the state of health emergency allows appropriate braking measures to be taken", argued the prefect, who also announced three measures s' adding locally to those announced Monday by Jean Castex. Cultural, sporting and commercial gatherings and events on public roads and parties in municipal halls are thus prohibited. As for restaurants, bars, cinemas, performance halls, museums, libraries, sports establishments, they should only accommodate 75% of their maximum capacity. And the tables should be limited to six people. Garage sales are also suspended, but not the food markets.
Police checks should be stepped up.
"The situation is worrying again, as it was in August", underlined the prefect, and all the more so since 60,000 Reunionese over 50 years old are particularly at risk because they are not vaccinated or did not recall.
"We are now talking about hospital tension and pressure on the medical and resuscitation services," added the state clerk, adding that of the 89 resuscitation beds, 84 were occupied on Tuesday, including 37 by Covid patients.
To reach 107 intensive care beds, argued Martine Ladoucette, it would be necessary to close thirteen operating theaters on the island and give up many scheduled surgical operations.
