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Samoa and Vanuatu Both countries saw a surge in cases after their first cases of community transmission, further reducing the number of Pacific island nations that have so far escaped the pandemic.
Tuvalu, Nauru and Micronesia are the only three Pacific island nations that have not yet reported any cases of the coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization.
Samoa reported its first case of community transmission last week when an American missionary tested positive while preparing to be evacuated. On Wednesday, the country reported another 155 new cases, bringing the total number of cases in the current outbreak to 622, and experts believe the virus was likely spreading before the first case was discovered.
The country has closed its borders and entered a lockdown, shutting schools and banning public gatherings.
Vanuatu reported its first case of community transmission earlier this month and has seen a surge in cases over the past week, reaching 279. On Wednesday alone,the total number of confirmed cases this year has reached 1,373. The country is currently at the highest alert level, restricting the movement of people and enforcing the wearing of masks in public places.
Public health expert Dr Colin Tukuitonga, dean of Auckland University’s Pacific College, said the surge in COVID-19 cases was not surprising.
“This is not surprising given the spread of Omicron, but the good news is that most Pacific Islands We have been able to vaccinate people and thus curb the spread of the virus.”
Vaccination rates vary widely between Pacific countries, with some countries having relatively high rates, such as Samoa, where 66% of the total population has been vaccinated. Others, such as Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, have much lower rates, at 28% and 17%, respectively, according to the World Health Organization.
Samoa’s acting director-general of the Ministry of Health, Robert Thomson, told the media that the health system was prepared for an influx of cases.
“If our current capacity is exhausted, the ministry will activate contingency plans and we have identified halls and certain school buildings where overcrowding is likely to occur,” he said.
Tagaloa told the media that two specialist engineers were currently in quarantine in Samoa, working on setting up the new oxygen plant.
“Our current capacity is 20 to 30 tanks per day, but this new plant will allow us to fill 100 or more tanks per day.”
“Samoa will be prepared in terms of oxygen to deal with the outbreak,” Tagaloa said.
Although the World Health Organization has not recorded any deaths from the coronavirus in Samoa and Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Daily Post reported that a woman on South Santo who had underlying health conditions and tested positive for the coronavirus died last week.
Social factors increase risk
Tukuitonga, who has supported health policies of governments in the Pacific for many years, said there was a cultural dimension to the pandemic.
“Group living, social interaction and large families often promote cohesion, but can also increase the risk of transmission.”
Substandard housing and high rates of comorbidities such as diabetes are other factors, he said.
A recent surge in cases has caused panic across the Pacific Rim as the outbreak hits small island nations previously unaffected by the pandemic, forcing them to prepare for long-term lockdowns and straining already fragile public health systems.
Kiribati recorded its first death from Covid-19 in January and the death toll now stands at 13, with a total of 3,057 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization.
Palau has recorded nearly 4,000 cases and six deaths since the start of the year. The Solomon Islands, which also reported its first case of community transmission in January, has the highest death toll from Covid-19 at 128 and a total of 10,204 cases.
American Samoa has recorded 1,626 cases, including 847 new cases in the past week, a large number for a territory with a population of just over 55,000 people.
Tonga has not had any cases of COVID-19 so far The virus came with the rescue work Cases since the eruption and tsunami in January have risen to 3,784, with just over 1,700 reported in the past seven days.
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