[ad_1]
Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi calls for calm as his country grapples with its first Covid-19 case.
The man, a sailor, arrived in Apia on a repatriation flight from Auckland last Friday and happened to test positive in a quarantine facility four days later.
There were 274 Samoans in total on the repatriation flight, including 25 of the man’s fellow sailors, according to the Samoa Observer.
The man is now in an isolation unit at a hospital in Apia, where the police stand guard.
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
The man’s roommate has also been placed in isolation, the Observer reissued.
The prime minister, who wore a mask during a live address to the nation on Thursday, noted that the sailor returned a negative result early Thursday morning.
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.
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.
The cabinet will meet Thursday afternoon to decide whether the case will force changes to Samoa’s state of emergency procedures.
The country has been in a state of emergency for nine months.
Another repatriation flight from North America, scheduled for November 27, will be reviewed by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Samoa.
Meanwhile, Tuilaepa urged the public to continue washing their hands, sanitizing the material and observing social distancing.
“Now we have a case, and [Samoa] It will also join the countries of the world that have the coronavirus, ”said Tuilaepa.
Repatriation flights for Samoan residents returning outside of Auckland are operated by Air New Zealand on behalf of the Government of Samoa.
The airline has been contacted for comment.
Tuilaepa said passengers on repatriation flights had to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test before they could board the plane.
The Samoan High Commissioner in Wellington was aware of media reports on the case at 9am on Thursday, but was still awaiting further details from the Government of Samoa.
