CORONAVIRUS WEEK 8 - COVID19 PACIFIC UPDATE
The CoconetTV ongoing Pacific Islands updates for our community in Aotearoa and the Pacific region.
To catch up on previous updates click here
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End of week round up -
NEW ZEALAND - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern outlined conditions the country will face under Alert Level 2 prior to next week's announcement of when New Zealand will move.
What will happen under Level 2:
-Businesses can restart
-Bubbles can cease
-Domestic travel recommences
-Schools and early learning centres can open
-Gatherings both indoors and outdoors are limited to 100 people
-Public places reopen
-Sport and recreation comes back on-stream, including professional sports competitions
-Home gatherings must be kept small
-Hospitality must be seated, separated, single-server
Jacinda Ardern said today the aim of Level 2 was to reduce close contact with strangers, acknowledging virus was "probably still with us" but designed to get as many people back to work as possible.
Full details via One News here and full press conference video below via RNZ
Director of Public health Dr Caroline McElnay updated today and said that we have 1347 cases that are reported as having recovered from Covid-19, 90 percent of all our confirmed and probable cases are considered to be recovered.
She said there are now a total of 1490 confirmed and probably cases to date and 122 active cases. The death toll stands at 21. There are three people in hospital - one in Auckland City, one in Middlemore and one in North Shore. None are in ICU.
She also said the country was still in alert level 3 and New Zealanders still needed to "play it safe".
"We do not want a second wave. What you are doing is working in level 3, so keep working and learning from home, keep your distance from others when outside your bubble. Parties are still not okay."
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PACIFIC ISLANDS
** Total of 904 confirmed in the Pacific & 24 deaths - 15 in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (2 deaths), 18 in Fiji, 60 in French Polynesia, 151 in Guam (5 deaths), 629 in Hawai'i (17 deaths), 18 in New Caledonia, 8 in Papua New Guinea & 5 in Rapa Nui **
ACTIVE CASES AS AT 08 MAY 20 - CNMI 1, Fiji 4, French Polynesia 4, Guam 28, Hawaii 64, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Rapa Nui now Covid19 FREE
19 nations & territories in the Pacific are now Coronavirus FREE - below is a list of Pacific Islands States who have never had a case of Coronavirus.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANAS - To date, the CNMI has had 15 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, with 12 recoveries and two deaths.
- A 17-year-old boy has just been confirmed as positive for Covid19 . He had initially presented no symptoms of the coronavirus, so further evaluation was obtained from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make a final case determination, a news release stated. He was identified as a result of contact tracing and the community testing initiative. Full story here
- Covid-19 lock-downs are delaying supplies of safety helmets. Motorbike helmet retailers are bracing for a rush of sales. The new law requiring all motorbike riders and their passengers to wear approved helmets comes into force on June 26 but with freight affected by the Covid-19 crisis, Carlaw said he was not sure whether the shipment would arrive in time. Full story here
- The Edgewater Resort will be busy with 130 quarantined Cook Islands and Mother’s Day dinner guests this Sunday. The local resort hosting returning Cook Islands residents has reassured the public their hotel is safe for others during the quarantine period. Full story here
- This week the Prime Minister has been touring the affected regions of Fiji which had extensive damage from Tropical Cyclone Harold and launched initiatives such as Food Security and Rehab Works to help the villagers in their efforts to rebuild and ensure adequate food supply.
FRENCH POLYNESIA - Of the 60 tests performed yesterday, no new cases of covid-19 were detected. Since the start of the crisis in French Polynesia, 60 people have been declared positive for the coronavirus. To date, 4 are still under surveillance and 56 no longer show symptoms of the disease. The situation seems to be improving even if the authorities are calling to stay vigilant.
- Reports from French Polynesia say a crew member of a French military aircraft that arrived in Tahiti two days ago has tested positive for Covid-19 and that the individual has been flown out again. Full story here
GUAM - Guam has a total of 151 cases with five deaths. 28 of these cases remain active.
- 6 of the current total are believed to have been re-infected. Some previously released from isolation have returned to active isolation status after re-testing positive for COVID-19 through follow-up testing. To date, no additional cases have been linked to people released from isolation. Full story here
HAWAI'I - Statewide total is 629. Of the total number of cases, 565 people have been released from isolation. The death toll from the virus stands at 17.
- For the first time, the Blood Bank of Hawaii has collected plasma from a person who recovered from COVID-19 as part of an experimental treatment option for those who are sick.
More on all stories via Hawaii News Now
NEW CALEDONIA - Are now COVID19 FREE! They have had no further positive or active cases.
- A campaign has been launched by the local tourism agency encouraging specifically those who haven't lost any income to choose among New Caledonia's 18 essential tourism experiences. The authorities in New Caledonia say because of the Covid-19 outbreak the borders might remain shut until at least the end of the year, hurting above all the tourism industry. Full story here
PAPUA NEW GUINEA - All eight COVID-19 cases have recovered and their second and third test results have all come back as Negative.
More community testing for Covid-19 will be carried out in Papua New Guinea starting this week. Testing would start in the provinces where the country's eight confirmed cases of the virus were discovered before continuing across the rest of the country. Full story here
RAPA NUI - Rapa Nui officially Covid19 FREE!
