Prime Minister Jean Castex is expected on Sunday in Guyana, a French territory in South America particularly affected by the coronavirus epidemic, for a one-day express visit focused mainly on health issues.
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Accompanied by the Minister of Overseas Sébastien Lecornu and the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, Jean Castex will notably travel to Cayenne to the interministerial crisis center which has just been set up.
5,704 confirmed coronavirus cases and 23 deaths
Guyana, Amazonian territory neighboring Brazil, had 5,704 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Friday, including 131 hospitalizations and 26 intensive care patients, and 23 deaths, for an official population of 300,000. The peak of the epidemic, which started after the deconfinement, is expected in the second half of July. Objective of this one-day trip: “to embody territorial continuity ”, to recall that “ Guyana is a territory of the Republic like any other ”, where “ the services of the State and the government are mobilized ”, explains Matignon.
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Likewise, the head of government also " reminds us that the crisis is not behind us ". " I come with the desire to prepare France for a possible second wave " but " by preserving economic life, social life ", had warned the Prime Minister on BFMTV / RMC on Wednesday by announcing his move.
Field hospital
His visit follows that of the former overseas minister Annick Girardin, at the end of June, who came with health reinforcements. Annick Girardin then launched a call for national solidarity to bring in more caregivers, estimating that a total of 300 additional reinforcements were needed to cope with the epidemic, and in particular to increase the number of beds in intensive care. More than a hundred members of the health reserve are already on the spot, and reinforcements from the army health service were announced for Friday.
A civil defense field hospital has also been set up at the CHC to receive non-covid patients. Several medical evacuations of patients have been carried out to Guadeloupe and Martinique, but the lack of places in West Indian hospitals is starting to be felt, said Thursday the director of ARS Clara de Bort during a press point. Medical evacuations could be organized to France.
