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GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA
Samoa Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi speaks at a press conference Thursday, after the country registered its first case of Covid-19.
Samoa’s first Covid-19 case arrived in Apia on a repatriation flight from Auckland last Friday, local media reported.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, who wore a mask during a live address to the nation on Thursday, said the man, who works as a sailor, did not show any symptoms.
The sailor tested positive at a quarantine facility Wednesday night, but a second confirmatory test came back negative Thursday.
The patient is now in an isolation room at the Tupua Tamasese Motootua Hospital in Apia.
READ MORE:
* Coronavirus: Samoa for all international flights due to Auckland outbreak
* Coronavirus: repatriation flight to Samoa
* Coronavirus: Samoa’s first suspected case arrived on a flight from Auckland.
It was unclear whether the sailor had spent time in Auckland before boarding the flight to Samoa, or whether he used Auckland Airport as a transit point.
The Prime Minister was now calling for calm, and the Cabinet will meet Thursday afternoon to discuss further security measures.
Repatriation flights for returning Samoan residents are operated by Air New Zealand on behalf of the Government of Samoa.
The airline has been contacted for comment.
The Samoan High Commissioner in Wellington was aware of media reports on the case, but was still waiting for more details to arrive from the Government of Samoa.
More soon.
