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New Caledonia has announced a new state of health emergency, just a day after the start of a new coronavirus lockdown. Three new cases have been confirmed in French territory in the South Pacific which had been declared “Covid-free”, officials said.
The state of health emergency is valid until November 15, following a decision taken by parliament on Tuesday evening, and will be validated by the Senate on Thursday, authorities said.
This is in line with the measures put in place for all overseas territories in the face of an increase in Covid-19 cases putting local hospitals under pressure.
“Several cases of Covid-19 have been detected in people who have not traveled outside the territory in recent weeks, and who have no connection between them,” the ministers wrote in their summary concerning New Caledonia.
Local authorities have ordered strict travel restrictions at the start of the pandemic in 2020 to prevent an outbreak that would overwhelm hospitals on the islands.
Previously, only 202 positive cases of Covid-19 had been recorded among the population of around 290,000 people, and no deaths.
The latest figures from local authorities show that 66 cases have been reported since September 6, 2021 and 7 patients admitted to intensive care.
Many fear the situation will worsen, as has been the case in French Polynesia, an archipelago with a similar number of inhabitants.
Reluctance to vaccination
But the reluctance to vaccinate among the indigenous Kanak population means that many people remain vulnerable.
Only 30% of residents are currently vaccinated, compared to 73% having at least one dose for the whole of France.
The government announced last week that vaccination would now be compulsory for all adults.
“The virus is spreading and it is likely that several dozen Caledonians are now infected,” said the president of the territory, Louis Mapou.
Schools and universities will be closed for the next 15 days and face masks will be mandatory outside.
Quarantine
People can only go out for work or for essential activities such as medical visits, or for up to an hour of sport within a mile of their home.
Flights to and from the territory, as well as intra-island flights, are suspended indefinitely except for medical personnel.
Already, anyone arriving in New Caledonia must be quarantined for 15 days in government requisitioned accommodation – a rule that prevented President Emmanuel Macron from visiting when he visited neighboring French Polynesia in July.
(with AFP)
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