Covid death toll in French Polynesia continues to rise

10:03 am on 5 December 2020

French Polynesia has recorded another death from Covid-19, bringing the total number of fatalities in the territory since the beginning of the pandemic to 78.

181 new cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

Currently, 81 infected people are in hospital with 26 of them in intensive care.

Yesterday's numbers bring the territory's total number of people infected by Covid-19 since testing began in March to 14,897.

All but 62 of these cases were detected after the borders were reopened in July and mandatory quarantine requirements were abolished in an effort to boost tourism and reignite the economy.

Schoolchildren wearing protective face masks arrive at the Taimoana Primary school in Papeete

Photo: AFP

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education announced that all students from the outlying islands who were currently studying in Tahiti and neighbouring Moorea would be tested for Covid-19 before returning home for the Christmas holidays.

This will affect around 1200 students.