Virus pummels French Polynesia, straining ties with Paris

By ESTHER CUNEO
Associated Press

PAPEETE, Tahiti (AP) — France’s worst virus outbreak is unfolding 12 times zones away from Paris, devastating Tahiti and other idyllic islands of French Polynesia. The South Pacific archipelago lacks enough oxygen, ICU beds and morgue space, and the vaccination rate is barely half the national average. Simultaneous outbreaks on remote islands and atolls are straining officials’ ability to evacuate patients to the territory’s few hospitals. It’s France’s latest challenge in juggling resources to battle the pandemic in former colonies that stretch around the world. The crisis in French Polynesia is blamed on vaccine skepticism, high obesity and diabetes rates, and the decision to reopen to some tourists this summer.