Summary

Epidemiological Situation in French Guiana as of June 4, 2020, at 12:00 p.m.

Since early March, 556 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in French Guiana, including 76 new cases over the past 7 days (onset of symptoms between May 29 and June 4), of which 23% were in Saint-Georges, 22% in Camopi, 14% in Cayenne, 12% in Matoury and Saint-Laurent du Maroni, 9% in Rémire-Montjoly, and 5% in Kourou.

Following a wave of cases imported from mainland France and the Antilles in March, rare instances of local transmission were observed in April, during the lockdown period, with clusters—some of them large—in the Maroni region and Cayenne, which were brought under control.

Since May, the epidemic has spread in Latin America, and cases imported from Brazil have increased. A large and complex family cluster was detected in St. Georges but spread into the community, primarily affecting four neighborhoods in the city. Localized community transmission currently persists in St. Georges, though a recent slowdown in local transmission has been observed, thanks to the combined efforts of the population, its representatives, and numerous reinforcements mobilized as part of an intensive testing campaign. Similarly, in Camopi, the virus is circulating in the general population.

Along the coast (Cayenne, Rémire-Montjoly, Matoury, Montsinery-Tonnegrande, Macouria, and Kourou), the number of cases is rising, resulting in the emergence of clusters, five of which are currently active. Specific management measures are being implemented to attempt to contain the chains of transmission.
Since last week, 9 new cases have been detected over 7 days in St Laurent du Maroni, and isolated cases have also been detected in Maripasoula, Papaïchton, and Apatou. In western French Guiana, viral circulation is therefore now being detected at a limited but growing level, and investigations are underway.

Active case-finding and screening efforts in affected areas, combined with the isolation of individuals—or, in some cases, of a geographic sector—along with a recommendation for cases to isolate in a hotel or at home, are continuing with the aim of breaking transmission chains and thereby limiting the health impact of the current crisis. More than 6,000 screening tests have been conducted since February in French Guiana, and targeted screening operations are regularly organized.

Surveillance data therefore show increasing viral circulation in French Guiana, varying by region, requiring high vigilance from the entire population to further strengthen preventive measures and limit the spread of the virus as much as possible.