Samoa will go into lockdown starting today as it faces its first outbreak of COVID-19 after a woman who was about to leave the country tested positive.
A total of 13 Zones have been strategically mapped out to manage COVID-19 community transmissions/cases, hospitalizations and isolation locations, and mobilization of essential services across the country. Eight (8) zones have been identified for Upolu and five (5) in Savaii. The public is strongly advised to use services available within their designated zones during alert level 3 to help control the spread of the virus.
Services not available within specific zones can be accommodated In the event that relevant services are not available in a zone, such as emergencies requiring transfer to the main hospitals in Upolu and Savaii, banks and pharmacies to name a few, the SOE Orders can accommodate such requests in order to save lives.
The government advises that since the first confirmed community transmission case on the 17th March 2022, 95 new cases have been confirmed as of today 19th March 2022 at 2pm local time. Total active cases now stand at 111 with 110 cases confirmed in Upolu and 1 active case in Savaii. There are no active cases recorded for the islands of Manono and Apolima as of time of report.
Fifty six (56) passengers arrived from Fiji on Friday last week. This flight was approved by Cabinet earlier this year. Passengers included returning residents namely scholarship students who have completed their awards, transiting seafarers from Europe, and other expatriates who work in Samoa. The flight also brought home a Samoan citizen who travelled to accompany his spouse to India for medical treatment in 2019, and was unable to return to Samoa due to universal COVID 19 restrictions. We welcome him back home.
All passengers upon arrival at Faleolo undertook their first tests. The Ministry of Health confirmed that the results returned negative. Passengers are currently in quarantine. They will undertake second tests on Monday, 21 March 2022.
The public is hereby advised that 85 new community cases were recorded as of today, Sunday 20th of March 2022 at 2pm, bringing the total number of active Covid-19 cases in Samoa to 196 including 15 active imported cases.
The Ministry of Health confirms a total of 2,207 tests were carried out, since the 18th of March 2022 in six (6) designated COVID-19 screening sites, in addition to tests conducted in health facilities. Of the 181 active community cases reported, 62 positive cases were confirmed from the 6 screening sites with 119 cases confirmed in health facilities.
The Red Cross Headquarters at Tuanaimato screening site so far recorded the highest percentage of positive cases at 47% of total positive cases confirmed.
The Ministry of Health has identified 428 close contacts which are currently being investigated.