Coco News

Samoa Update: 31 active Covid cases in managed isolation

Another new Covid positive case today takes Samoa's Covid count up to 31 active cases in managed isolation. Controversy hit the country after it was revealed that last Saturday 29th January a breach in the Island's State of emergency led to a frontline worker in isolation being driven to an ATM machine in town.

The Prime Minister has assured the country that this breach has been taken seriously and there are currently no community cases of Covid on the Island.

A breach in the Island's State of emergency led to a frontline worker in isolation being driven to an ATM machine in town

Here's the latest from the Samoan Government regarding Samoa's covid status:

Following completion of the sixth testing schedule on 1st February, one new positive case was identified from the nursing staff that work in the Isolation Ward taking the total positive cases in managed isolation to 31.

All other 48 passengers continue to test negative and are in good health. The 25 positive tested passengers are all asymptomatic and are in good health

All frontline workers in quarantine continue to present negative test results, remain asymptomatic and in good health. Likewise the 6 nurses in the isolation unit, though positive, are asymptomatic and in good health.

The cumulative total of confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic up to now is 33 and are categorised as follows:

2 imported cases identified in quarantine in 2021 – fully recovered
25 imported cases identified in the last 14 days in quarantine (passengers)
6 locally acquired cases in isolation (nurses)

There are no community cases suspected or identified in the community. There is also vigilant monitoring of breaches of the SOE and in particular, the conditions of quarantine.

Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa announcing the country will go into lockdown last week. Photo: Supplied / SPREP

Vaccine Rollout

On February 1, at around 16:15Hrs, an Australian Royal Airforce plane arrived with 10,000 of the AstraZeneca vaccine in time for the rollout of the Vaccine program. The intention is to be able to achieve a higher target of the total population that are fully vaccinated as that is important to our herd immunity as well as advance a shift towards the implementation of a booster policy.

The Samoan government ended the press release with a word of appreciation to their frontline workers and the Samoan public for their perseverance & adherance to the conditions of lockdown.

They also acknowledged international support, intergovernmental and regional organisations.

* Cover photo via Government of Samoa