Pacific / French Polynesia

Six more die from Covid-19 in French Polynesia

13:40 pm on 3 November 2020

Six more people have died in French Polynesia's Covid-19 pandemic in the past three days, bringing the death toll to 38.

85 people with Covid-19 symptoms are in hospital, including 24 in intensive care.

French High Commissioner Dominique Sorain and President Edouard Fritch Photo: supplied

Since the last update three days ago, the number of cases has risen by more than 750 to 8646.

It is not known how many of them are active.

All but 62 cases were detected after the borders were reopened in July and mandatory quarantine requirements were abolished to boost tourism.

A curfew is in place to try to curb the spread of the virus, but unlike in France, there is no lockdown.

Earlier President Edouard Fritch confirmed his administration was holding off from implementing such a measure.

Fritch said the effectiveness of a curfew between 9pm-4am in Tahiti and Moorea would determine whether further measures were needed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

According to Fritch, two thirds of all intensive care units were in use and a lockdown would only be considered if the hospitals risked being full.