Martinique once again confined. The prefect of this overseas region, Stanislas Cazelles, announced on July 27 a new confinement of the island from Friday July 30 at 7 p.m. for a period of at least three weeks.

“We are worried, the health situation is worsening and the Covid-19 figures are exploding“, assured at a press conference Olivier Coudin, deputy director of the Regional Health Agency (ARS), and Stanislas Cazelles. The incidence rate in this region reached 995 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants during the past week.The French average stands at 191.

“This increase has repercussions on the number of admissions to emergencies, hospitalization and intensive care: the CHUM (University Hospital Center of Martinique) has reached a level of saturation.“, also specifies a press release from the prefecture of Martinique.

Tightened restrictions

As a result, the curfew in effect in Martinique from 9 p.m. will be reduced to 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. with stricter traffic conditions, according to the prefect who recalls that “the first confinements had made it possible to considerably lower the rates of contamination: 45% on average“.

Stanislas Cazelles specified that it would be necessary to bring a certificate to move beyond a radius of more than 10 km from home.

He also indicated that all businesses would remain open, the wearing of masks being generally respected, but that restaurants would be closed. For the latter, as well as the sports halls and sports venues covered, the special Covid partial unemployment and the solidarity fund will be maintained, specifies the prefecture.

Overseas France in a state of emergency

The other overseas regions are not spared by the outbreak of covid and the state of health emergency was declared last night in Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélémy. It is already in force in Martinique, Guyana and Réunion.

The objective is to “take all necessary measures to protect local hospitals, which could quickly find themselves under great strain“with the resurgence of Covid-19 cases,” the government spokesman said.

“In Guadeloupe, only 15% of the population is fully vaccinated“, while in Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy,”the incidence rate reaches 1,714 cases per 100,000 inhabitants“, underlined Gabriel Attal at the end of the Council of Ministers.

What does the state of emergency involve?

This exceptional regime makes it possible in particular to limit the movement of people, or even to order local re-containment in the event of overly active circulation of the virus.

The state of health emergency had already been reinstated in Reunion Island and Martinique. In the French West Indies department, the government spokesperson described a “very difficult situation, where we have deployed the army health service to welcome patients as much as possible in good conditions at the hospitalthe”.

Guyana had already had to transfer patients to Martinique in May 2021. Now, Martinique emergencies are overflowing and it is they who are considering evacuations to Paris.