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Wellington, February 10, 2021
A pilot of New Caledonia’s international airline has tested positive for Covid-19.
The government says that his infection was detected as part of routine testing of airline personnel and that the individual, who is asymptomatic, has been transferred to the hospital’s designated quarantine ward.
Seven other Aircalin crew members who were his close contacts have been taken to a quarantine hotel. The latest case brings to 50 the number of Covid-19 cases in New Caledonia.
There has been no community spread.
Wallis and Futuna in quarantine.
Four people in quarantine in Wallis and Futuna have returned positive Covid-19 tests and been transferred to the hospital’s isolation ward.
None of them was symptomatic. They arrived with 44 others, who will remain at the dedicated quarantine hotel. The last Covid-19 case was detected in November.
A total of nine cases have been recorded, but none in the community.
Tonga extends quarantine
Tonga has extended its managed quarantine period from 14 days with seven days in home isolation to 21 days with no home isolation.
Tonga’s Head of Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) said that once passengers have tested negative on day 21, they will be released to go home.
All 114 passengers repatriated from New Zealand and Fiji on February 4, 2021 have tested negative.
Chief Executive Paula Ma’u said that this is an extra measure due to the outbreak of Covid-19 variants already in Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Ma’u also said there has been various issues with home isolation.
Samoa travel advisory
The Samoa government has made new changes to its travel advisories lifting a blanket ban on travellers from the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Travellers originating or transiting through the two countries had previously been denied entry due to the new Covid-19 variants but these measures now seem to have been eased.
The Samoa Observer reported that all travellers from these countries and a dozen others, hoping to get to Samoa will be assessed individually.
Passengers from all destinations except American Samoa are now required to have their medical clearance and negative Covid-19 swab test within 72 hours of their arrival to Auckland, and a blood test within five days of leaving their original port.
Meth in American Samoan
A Counsellor has decried the easy accessibility to methamphetamine in American Samoa.
Dr Julia Fo’ifua, who is Alcohol & Drug Rehabilitation Counsellor at the Department of Health, was discussing links between meth use and suicides.
In January 2020, there were three suicides in American Samoa.
During 2020, there were 11 suicide deaths, and six or seven attempted suicide cases which were admitted to the LBJ Hospital. The suicide were aged between 14 and 36.
Dr Julia Fo’ifua said that communities and parents had to ask where young people get money to spend on substances.
“Is the money that they are giving to their child accountable for, are they seeing stuff or they gave them lunch money and yet they turn around and purchase drugs without their knowledge? And it is not uncommon.
-Published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
