New Covid-19 cases in French Polynesia raises tally to 820

11:33 am on 9 September 2020

French Polynesia has recorded another 47 Covid-19 cases, raising the tally to 820.

758 of them were recorded since the borders reopened in July and international tourism resumed.

Most cases are in urban areas of Tahiti, but also in Bora Bora, Raiatea, Huahine and Hao.

The first outbreak between March and June, which affected 62 people, was brought under control with a lockdown and border closures.

Unions dropped their threats of a general strike despite the government being adamant it would not reintroduce a two-week quarantine for arriving travellers.

However, the government agreed to pay salaries for workers forced to isolate after employers said they could not bear the cost.

A unionist Patrick Galenon said during the meeting they were told that the authorities hoped for there eventually being collective immunity.

He said they were also told that statistically there now was a higher risk of Covid-19 contamination within the community than from arriving travellers.