200 years: Remote St. Helena island marks Napoleon's death
by Christopher Torchia, The Associated Press
Posted May 5, 2021 5:41 am EDT
Last Updated May 5, 2021 at 5:44 am EDT
Getting to the remote South Atlantic island where Napoleon died 200 years ago got even harder during the coronavirus pandemic.
So while commemorations of the May 5, 1821 death of the deposed French emperor on British-ruled St. Helena are going ahead there, they are not happening with an influx of international visitors that was expected before COVID-19 swept across the world.
The volcanic island of about 4,500 people has not had any confirmed COVID-19 cases, but “we are no longer expecting the cruise ship visitors nor regular air visitors? and the Napoleon commemorations ?will be restricted to local events only,? said Nicole Shamier, chief economist for St. Helena’s government.