New Caledonia

New Caledonia Covid-19 outbreak confirmed in Lifou

An official says the four show mild symptoms and are isolating at home.

The government reported yesterday that seven people with Covid-19 were in hospital in Noumea, including a patient transferred from Lifou.

New Caledonia went into a two-week lockdown at midday Tuesday after three Covid-19 cases were detected in three different locations the day before.

The authorities have restated that the virus is in circulation in the community and urge the public to adhere to the restrictions.

New Caledonians rally against compulsory COVID-19 vaccination

According to Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes, several thousand people joined a march from the seat of government to the Congress building, organised by the group ReinfoCOVID.

The demonstrators are also against the so-called health pass introduced in France.

The rally comes just a day after the Congress unanimously voted to make vaccinations for adults mandatory by the end of the year.

There is no general penalty for those refusing to comply, but medical staff and port and airport workers will be fined US$1,750 if they refuse inoculation.

New Caledonia ponders compulsory COVID-19 vaccination

New Caledonia, which closed its borders in March last year, is COVID-19 free but just 32 percent of the population has been vaccinated.

A leading physician Thierry De Greslan told a meeting in Noumea that the number of vaccinated people must be doubled within a month and to achieve this, jabs must be made mandatory.

The head of the employer's federation Mimsy Daly said all medical staff, including pharmacists, should be mobilised to roll out vaccines every day as to give the territory a chance to deal with the threat.

Fully vaccinated COVID-19 case found in New Caledonia quarantine facility

They say the individual, who had arrived from French Polynesia, has been transferred to the dedicated COVID-19 isolation unit of the main hospital in Noumea.

New Caledonia has been COVID-free since it succeeded to suppress a community outbreak in March with a month-long lockdown.

A government statement said the latest discovery doesn't call into question the need for everyone to be vaccinated to limit the spread of the virus.

French police commander in New Caledonia quits over domestic violence conviction

Colonel Eric Steiger, who had become the head of the gendarmerie in Noumea last month, asked to be relieved of his position following an outcry by New Caledonian politicians.

They had asked the French Interior Minister to remove Colonel Steiger after the French news site Mediapart reported that last year he was given a suspended six-month prison sentence which on appeal was changed to a 6,000 EURO fine.

The minister said he has taken note and a new commander will be appointed soon.

New Caledonian businesses set for faster recovery than other Pacific Island countries

PTI New Zealand Trade Commissioner Glynis Miller said the recent release of the New Caledonia focussed report found that while the pandemic had impacted New Caledonia, the proportion of businesses in New Caledonia that were fully operational at the end of 2020 was significantly higher with 94% compared to 34% for the rest of the Pacific.

Miller commented that the heavy reliance of other Pacific nations on tourism compared with New Caledonia could account for this fact.

Covid-19 bans lifted in New Caledonia

The territory returned to its Covid-free status after a four-week lockdown, but still required people to wear masks in public places.

As of yesterday morning, mass gatherings were again allowed, clearing the way for churches to have services for the first time in five weeks.

Boarding schools have been able to receive students and re-open today.

On 7 March, a cluster of local Covid-19 cases was detected, prompting an immediate sharp lockdown.

A total of 63 infections were recorded since then but none in the past week.

France sends 30 police to New Caledonia

This followed a call for police reinforcement by the administrator in New Caledonia's Southern Province following recent violence around protests related to the Vale nickel plant

The French Overseas Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, confirmed the deployment of another 30 special police and investigators.

He noted that almost 1500 French police were in New Caledonia, more than five times more police than in rural parts of mainland France.

     

New Caledonia lockdown is extended

The French territory entered a lockdown earlier this month after new community cases of the coronavirus were confirmed.

Furthermore, covid cases have exploded in the neighbouring French territory of Wallis and Futuna, adding further risks.

Authorities in New Caledonia suggest the lockdown has controlled the latest surge of infections.

But they have issued an extension to ensure the end of community transmission.

By April, France is expected to have supplied 42,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to New Caledonia.

     

Vanuatu postpones New Caledonia Tamtam travel bubble awareness

Prime Minister Bob Loughman announced the postponement after two new border quarantine cases were reported in the country.

New Caledonia has reported Covid-19 community transmission cases.

The awareness outreach was to have begin today.