CDC ISSUES SAMOA CHIKUNGUNYA WARNING

The United States health agency, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, has issued a warning to travellers about the threat in Samoa from chikungunya.

Earlier this week the Samoa Ministry of Health said the mosquito borne disease is now affecting all of the country.

It says there are more than 2,500 confirmed cases.

The CDC says for the first time, chikungunya is being locally transmitted in Samoa.

It says travellers to Samoa, especially those with underlying medical conditions, should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. (source: RNZI)

TURTLE AND SHARK NOMINATED AS HISTORIC SITE

The legendary Turtle and Shark site has been nominated for placement on the National Register of Historic Places and once the American Samoa Historic Preservation Office (ASHPO) gets the official notice — expected to be any day now — the Turtle and Shark will join about 20 other local sites already on the Register.

Historic Preservation Officer David Herdrich told Samoa News yesterday that this past summer, a firm from Hawai’i was hired to interview the proper people and conduct extensive background research of the Turtle and Shark, and a nomination was drafted and submitted by them in late September.

Herdrich said that since then, they have received notice that the nomination was accepted and it will be officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places sometime  this week.

Other local sites that are already on the Register include the World War II guns at Blunts Point, the Government House (Mauga-o-Alii), the old Fitafita barracks, the Jean P. Hayden Museum (former Commissary), the old jail and bakery, the guns at Breakers Point, the High Court (former Administration Building), the KVZK-TV building, the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium (Fale Laumei), and the current home of DDW Beach Cafe, which was once used as nurses’ quarters.

According to Herdrich, he received an email last week informing him that the nomination was acceptable as “it is such a great example of cultural property”.

Currently, work is ongoing to revise the National Register Bulletin issued by the National Park Service (NPS). This particular bulletin provides information on how to properly fill out forms when nominating different types of sites, specifically cultural properties and legendary sites.

“The National Park Service wants to revise the bulletin and use the Turtle and Shark as an example but before they can do that, our office needs permission from the land owner and village council,” Herdrich explained.

He said he has already met with the Secretary of the Office of Samoan Affairs who informed him that the message will be relayed to the village pulenu’u (mayor) and land owner.

“So I’m just waiting to hear from them and once I get the OK, everything will progress from there,” Herdrich said.

TERRITORY TAKES PART IN ‘GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT’

Last Thursday, November 20, the territory joined the rest of the nation and the American Cancer Society in celebrating the “Great American Smokeout”, usually held on the third Thursday of November each year to encourage smokers to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance to quit that day.

Co-chair of the American Samoa Department of Health’s Diabetes/Tobacco Prevention Program Rev. Father Vaiula Iulio said a ‘special walk’ was carried out last Thursday, from Fagaalu Park to the Suigaula ole Atuvasa Beach Park in Utulei, separate from the Diabetes walk that took place this past Saturday.

According to the American Cancer Society, “By quitting — even for one day — smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing cancer risk.”

“Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet about 42 million Americans still smoke cigarettes — a bit under 1 in every 5 adults. As of 2012, there were also 13.4 million cigar smokers in the US, and 2.3 million who smoke tobacco in pipes — other dangerous and addictive forms of tobacco.”

AIRPORT GETS NEW SWEEPER

A much needed sweeper for the Tafuna International Airport has finally arrived and will be used to clear rocks and debris on the runway/tarmac.

The sweeper came with a price tag of $374,000 from Maryland Industrial Trucks, which is a representative of the General Services Administration (GSA), an independent agency of the United States Government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies.

According to Wikipedia.com,“The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. government offices, provides transportation and office space to federal employees, and develops government-wide cost-minimizing policies, and other management tasks.”

Company representative Will Chetelat was in the territory to train the airport maintenance crew on how to operate and properly maintain the sweeper which can go up to 15mph and is more advanced than the sweepers that are used on the streets.