After observing a “light” confinement for two weeks, Martinique begins, this Tuesday, August 10, a much stricter confinement. With a duration of three weeks, it envisages, in particular, that only grocery stores and pharmacies can remain open.
This decision was made due to the health situation linked to the coronavirus that has clearly worsened. In fact, the island has gone from 410 cases on July 6 to 4,171 in the first week of August and 35 deaths. Faced with this explosion of infections, the Prefecture has decided to take reinforced measures.
There are 331 people hospitalized in Martinique for Covid, or 93 occupied beds per 100,000 inhabitants. The maximum value observed at the national level is 49 beds per 100,000 inhabitants. pic.twitter.com/jt2mKqy7tw
– GRZ (@GuillaumeRozier) August 9, 2021
The incidence rate is more particularly observed, that is, the number of cases registered during seven days per 100,000 inhabitants. In fact, on August 9, this incidence rate was estimated at 1,166, compared to an average of 233 in mainland France.
The reason that health authorities closely monitor this incidence rate is that it automatically creates pressure on health services. Specifically, depending on the site Covidtracker, the hospital pressure would be 227% in Martinique.
As a result, 93 beds were urgently opened per 100,000 inhabitants, almost double the national level (49 beds per 100,000 inhabitants), Guillaume Rozier, founder of Covidtracker, analyzed.
In addition to the Delta variant of the coronavirus, which is much more contagious, this fragile health situation is often explained by the low vaccination rate observed in the place. According to the prefecture, only 18% of Martinicans are vaccinated. A significant delay compared to the metropolis, whose average is 67%.
As of August 9, none of the people admitted to the hospital had been vaccinated, the department’s ARS also mentioned.
Health Minister Olivier Véran launched an appeal to metropolitan caregivers, inviting them to come and help their Martinican colleagues. A plane must take off for this purpose on Tuesday, August 10. At the same time, Stanislas Cazelles, the prefect of Martinique, invited tourists to “leave the territory”.