Covid-19 in the Pacific: NZ gives Fiji $50,000 boost

The NZ Government has increased its aid to the Pacific by donating a further 50,000 Covid paediatric doses and 50,000 Rapid Antigen Tests - taking the total budget support package to Fiji to over $100 million.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Associate Health Minister Aupito William Sio announced the new package, to support Fiji's vaccination and Covid testing programme.

"These doses will enable Fiji to provide a layer of assurance against COVID-19 for its young population. We are proud to support the Government of Fiji as they roll-out their paediatric vaccination campaign for 5- to 11-year-olds and provide a much-needed area of support to strengthen Fiji's overall health response," Mahuta said.

"This donation also reaffirms New Zealand's commitment to the Duavata Partnership with Fiji, (signed in Suva last week) and ongoing support to vaccination efforts in the Pacific."
Aupito William Sio said: "Over the past two years COVID-19 has had profound health, economic and social impacts on our Pacific whanaunga.

"Fiji has been highly successful in implementing their COVID-19 vaccination plan and this contribution builds on our earlier support.

"New Zealand has been proactive in assisting our Pacific neighbours, including Fiji.
Sio said the contribution adds to a package of over $100 million that New Zealand has contributed in emergency budget support and humanitarian assistance to respond to the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in Fiji."

Nauru

President Lionel Aingimea has announced that Nauru has recorded its first two Covid-19 cases, which were detected in quarantine.

In a public address the President assured the community that the two cases are safely contained in quarantine. As such, Nauru remains safe and there is no cause for anyone to panic.

The two cases both travelled on the same flight, from Brisbane on March 31.

"Both people are well and do not have any symptoms and are being cared for by the medical team in the Covid ward," President Aingimea said.

Two other people are also being quarantined in the Covid Ward. One of them is the spouse of one of the cases, and they had travelled together.

The hospital laboratory has detected very, very low levels of virus in this person which appear to be decreasing.

The fourth person had a borderline result on April 1. They were put in isolation in the Acute Ward. This person has tested negative today but will remain under observation for now.

Samoa

Samoa yesterday recorded its second death to Covid.

The Ministry of Health said an 87-year-old female from the district of Faasaleleaga Number 2 in Savaii died after been admitted to hospital at Tuasivi on Thursday, 31st March 2022 with severe respiratory symptoms.

She was diagnosed with COVID19 and severe pneumonia. She had no known medical comorbidities however, she was unvaccinated.

To date, 583 people have recovered from Covid and 1,493 remain active cases.
Covid-19 infections are significantly higher among those aged from 15 to 35, but infections among children aged 4 and below are also increasing.

Kiribati

The Kiribati Government has extended its curfew for another four weeks.

The office of the President said the new curfew order is intended for South Tarawa, Betio, Buota, North Tarawa, Abaiang, Marakei, Maiana, Aranuka and Abemama.

Travel from Tarawa to the Covid-free outer islands will also resume, but with strict safety procedures in place.

The Government has also allowed church services to resume, but face masks will be mandatory.

A Parliament session will be convened, as planned, and gatherings outdoors remain limited to 20 people.

According to the WHO, Kiribati has had 3,066 cases in total and 13 Covid-related deaths.

Tonga

Tonga's lockdown restrictions are easing. Restaurants and food outlets are opening for the first time in two weeks, but with only takeaway options allowed.

According to new lockdown rules introduced by Tonga's Government, businesses can operate between 5am to 8pm until Monday.

Since 20 March most Tongan businesses, including all shops and gas stations, have only been allowed to open on Saturdays.

However, bars and liquor stores will still be prohibited from opening.

Owner of the Billfish Restaurant and Bar in Nuku'alofa Robert Sullivan said that bars have been totally ignored.

"Bars have not even been mentioned. We've closed since February 2nd to 3rd. So bars have not been open since then in Tonga, and any bars and all their employees will be struggling quite alot right now because we still have bills, we still have rents, we still have the products that we've already purchased. The majority of bars are still trying to pay their staff we've what they have, and this can't continue," Sullivan said.

Tonga has been in lockdown since 2 February and a border closure has been in effect since the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020.

The Minister of Health, Saia Piukala, announced this week that six Covid-19 deaths had been recorded in the Kingdom, and that over 6000 Tongans had tested positive for Covid-19.

New Caledonia

A total of 15 new cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in New Caledonia, since Thusday afternoon.

The Covid-19 death toll remains at 311.

Nine people are in hospital and 1 person is in ICU.

66 percent of the population is vaccinated.

French Polynesia

One new Covid-19 related death has been recorded in French Polynesia, bringing the total number of deaths since December last year to 11.

The total number of active cases over the territory is 381, and 123 new cases of Covid-19 have been detected.

Four people are in hospital and one person is in ICU.

80 percent of the population is vaccinated.