Pacific / French Polynesia

Tahiti Covid-19 tally soars to 3252

13:01 pm on 13 October 2020

French Polynesia has recorded its 11th Covid-19 fatality as case numbers soared to 3252.

Photo: AFP

Since the last official update three days ago, the number of active cases has almost doubled to 1102.

50 people are in hospital, including eight in intensive care.

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

The virus, which now infects about 150 people a day, has spread to the Marquesas after being detected in the Tuamotus and the Austral islands, but most cases are in Tahiti and Moorea.

Among those with the virus is the president Edouard Fritch who yesterday announced that he was positive after testing negative in France three days earlier.