New restrictions were announced Wednesday, January 5 in Guadeloupe, returned to a state of health emergency, due to the explosion of cases linked to the Omicron variant, now in the majority.
Prefect Alexandre Rochatte announced a three-week curfew, starting at 10 p.m. It could be reduced to 8 p.m. if there is no decline in contamination.
The latter also declared the ban on picnics by the sea and gatherings of more than 6 people on public roads.
According to the epidemiological bulletin, updated Wednesday evening, 4,000 positive cases of Covid-19 were recorded on Monday and Tuesday.
An “exponential” resumption of the epidemic
An “exponential” epidemic recovery according to the director general of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) of Guadeloupe, Valérie Denux. According to her, “this increase in the number of cases is not reflected in the hospital”.
The Omicron variant is now the majority in Guadeloupe, with 82% of positive cases.
Resistance is still strong in Guadeloupe. According to figures from the ARS, less than 50% of the population over the age of 18 has received at least one dose.
At the same time, the vaccination rate among people subject to compulsory vaccination has reached more than 95%.
Strong hostility to the health pass
The fight against the vaccine obligation and the health pass has intensified in Guadeloupe. Since July 17, 2021, activists, eager to “go to the end” are mobilizing every weekend.
This struggle nonetheless turned into violence. Last Tuesday at the end of the morning, the offices of the management of the hospital of Guadeloupe had been besieged by about fifty militants.
The director of the CHU of Guadeloupe, Gérard Cotellon and his two assistants had been exfiltrated by the police, after having “received blows, insults and jets of urine”, according to their account.