COVID-19: Polynesia records a sharp rise in contaminations

The number of positive cases has been multiplied by four in one week according to local health authorities. 78.5% of the population over 12 years old is vaccinated.

Le Monde with AFP

The number of active cases, ie positive persons at COVID-19 over the last seven days, has been multiplied by four in one week in Polynesia, according to figures released on Friday 4 February by The Directorate of Local Health.

It identified 579 cases active on January 28, compared with 2,080 on 4 February. The incidence rate is now 753 per 100,000, compared with 317 per 100,000 the previous week.

However, given the small number of tests carried out, these figures “underestimate the real circulation of the virus”, according to the epidemiologist Henri-Pierre Mallet.

The sudden increase in the number of contamination has, for the moment, did not affect the number of persons admitted to the French Polynesia Hospital Center, where only five people are hospitalized for Covid-19, of which one in resuscitation.

vaccinal pass from February 8

According to a screening done by the Louis Bladé Institute, only the Omicron variant is now present in Polynesia. This screening is however achieved on a small number of samples.

In August and September 2021, the Delta wave caused the saturation of the hospital and the death of at least 500 polynesians, mostly not vaccinated.

In recent months, vaccination has increased significantly in this community, reaching 78.5% of the population over 12 years old.

The vaccinal pass will be extended to French Polynesia on February 8th. Since December 23, a local law has forced all those who work in contact with the public to be vaccinated, under penalty of fine.

/Media reports.