Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa recorded a new COVID-19 related death, bringing the overall total fatalities to 8 since the community spread of the deadly coronavirus was first reported Feb. 21,st with the first fatality recorded on Mar. 22.

The new fatality was announced during yesterday’s virtual news conference with LBJ Medical Center acting chief of staff, Dr. Akapusi Ledua saying that LBJ recorded one new COVID-19 related death, and the deceased is a 64-year-old female who had had two doses of the vaccine.

He explained that the female was admitted to LBJ on Mar. 22 and passed away on Apr. 2. “The reason for her admission was because of a heart attack. She also had comorbidity conditions and tested positive [for COVID] and that was the reason she was admitted to the COVID ward,” said Dr. Ledua.

During Health Department presentation, DoH acting clinical service director, Dr. Elizabeth Lauvao provided an update on COVID-19 cases, saying that on Apr. 3, a total of 26 new positives were recorded, bringing the cumulative total to date to 4,703 positives since the onset of community outbreak.

And as of Apr. 3, the Manu’a island group remains COVID-free with no reported positives, she said.

At the start of the news conference, Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale pointed out that, “last week we saw our positive numbers come down to a daily average of 174 — compared to the week before, where we had daily averages of 248.”

“We hope, it’s a positive trend for us, to show that the surge has started to wane and then we can hopefully be rid with this surge quickly,” he said, and noted that in projections presented during previous press conferences, “we expected the peak to happen last week and the week before. It appears that our peak, was the week before, based on the numbers.”

“So we are thankful that the numbers are starting to come down. As was projected, the surge in critical cases and fatalities are likely to happen one-to-two weeks after our surge. And so far that seems to be the case,” he explained.

“As we move away, hopefully from the surge, the government’s focus now is with LBJ hospital so that they are prepared to handle the expected surge of critical cases that will be coming into the hospital,” said Talauega, who is also the Governor’s Authorized Representative and chair of the COVID-19 Task Force.

Samoa News will report in tomorrow’s edition on updates provided by Dr. Lauvao on the surge projection and LBJ preparations for surge in admissions.