The High Commissioner Dominique Sorain and the President of French Polynesia Edouard Fritch announced, Thursday in Papeete, the maintenance of the curfew but a gradual lifting of the confinement and the resumption of classes on Monday in this overseas collectivity.
Containment measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus, in force since August 23, had been extended until Monday, September 20.
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Containment will be maintained on weekends in the most populous islands, but it will be lifted during the week.
Restaurants will be able to reopen and sport will be allowed, outside of competitions.
However, museums, exhibition halls and cinemas remain closed.
Gatherings of more than ten people are prohibited.
Cruises may resume, provided that both staff and passengers are vaccinated.
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The epidemic has killed 585 people in Polynesia, three quarters of them since the beginning of August.
The number of daily deaths and hospitalizations have been falling for a week, except in the intensive care unit of the Hospital Center, which remains saturated with 49 patients.
A first medical evacuation is scheduled this Friday for the metropolis. Eight to ten patients requiring intensive care will be transported on a French Bee flight, chartered by France. This aircraft-stretcher is "
equipped with breathing equipment and oxygen cylinders
", according to the company, which ensures that it is "the first operation of this type ever carried out" between French Polynesia and the metropolis, distant 17,000 kilometers.
During their joint speech, Edouard Fritch and Dominique Sorain also called for “
avoiding hatred and division
”. The autonomist president of the local assembly and mayor of Bora Bora, Gaston Tong Sang, had suggested that vaccination was contributing to the increase in the number of patients. The mayor of Paea and vice-president of the independence party, Antony Géros, for his part accused the hospital center of practicing "
euthanasia
". President Edouard Fritch announced that he
would
"file a
complaint
" and assured caregivers of his support.
