French Polynesia updates Covid-19 quarantine rules

French Polynesia has issued new quarantine rules to stop the spread of Covid-19 after failing to enforce its previous ones because they were found to be illegal.

In a new ordinance, arriving travellers must go into quarantine for two weeks in either the premises set up by the government or at home.

Breaches will incur a fine of up $US16,000 and can be punished with up to one year in prison.

The new rules were introduced after the administrative court ruled last week that it was manifestly illegal and a serious attack on liberty not to give an individual a choice of quarantine venue.

As a result of the court decision, several people quit their confinement.

The president Edouard Fritch and the French High Commissioner Dominique Sorain also announced the fines of the 7000 people who breached the lockdown and curfew in place until late April would not need to be paid.

The fines were up to $US800 but under new provisions, they will be waived if the offender makes a minimum $US50 dollar donation to the Red Cross.

The Red Cross said during the lockdown, almost $US100,000 was spent on food parcels for the poor as the need for help exploded.