The head of surveillance at French Polynesia's Ministry of Health says chikungunya is now spreading throughout the territory.
Photo: AFP
Dr Henri Pierre Mallet says medical resources are stretched with over 8000 people consulting doctors and the deaths of two elderly people linked to chikungunya.
He says for most people the illness is mild and lasts for about five days but it can be painful.
He says the next few weeks may bring a second wave of the mosquito-borne illness as people travel to outer islands for the holiday season.
"The main islands Tahiti and Moorea are the most affected. But we have also several other small or medium islands now affected; like in Raiatea, Bora Bora also and other archipelagos. It's spreading quite quickly now, we have really an outbreak increasing in French Polynesia."
The head of surveillance at French Polynesia's Ministry of Health, Dr Henri Pierre Mallet.