Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Dept. of Health reported at 11:59 Friday and released Saturday that on March 18, 2022, 795 tests were conducted with 151 individuals testing positive.  In the past 24 hours ending midnight Friday, 20 previous positive cases recovered and there was 1 new hospitalization and no deaths due to COVID-19.  A total of 4 people are currently hospitalized.  The cumulative COVID case count is now 1336, of which a total of 155 individuals have recovered.  There are currently 1181 active cases and in addition 53 vaccines were administered of which 458 were booster shots.

The Health Dept. cautions that American Samoa is still in the early stages of the outbreak and there are going to be more cases moving forward.  Although rising case count may be alarming, Health personnel say you can live safely with the surge in cases.  Before getting tested have a home isolation plan ready in case you test positive. 

If you test positive you will be assessed by a physician to see if you are eligible for therapeutic treatment. The treatment is to be given within 5 days of feeling sick.  Treatment should lessen your symptoms and prevent you from getting admitted to the hospital.  Not everyone testing positive will feel sick or need treatment.  If you are positive please say at home for 14 days and avoid contact with people while you are infectious.  They reiterated that you can live COVID safe during this time.

For the schedule for COVID-19 vaccinations and test sites for the coming week contact the Health Department

For perspective, last Friday, March 13, Samoa News reported that the total count had reached 494.

SAMOA POSITIVE CASES CLOSE TO 200

As of today Samoa’s total number of active COVID-19 cases has increased to 196 with the Government confirming 192 cases in Upolu and 4 cases in Savai’i.

The Government Press Secretariat’s community transmission update, which was distributed to the local media at around 12.11am Monday morning (local time), advised that health authorities have identified 85 new community cases by 2pm Sunday.

The new community cases when added to the 15 imported active cases pushes Samoa’s total active cases to 196.

The Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) confirmed that a total of 2,207 tests were carried out since 18 March 2022 in six designated COVID-19 screening sites, in addition to tests conducted at health facilities.

Out of the 181 active community cases reported, 62 positive cases were confirmed from the six screening sites with 119 cases confirmed in health facilities.  

According to the Press Secretariat update, there are currently no COVID-19 positive cases in the national hospital’s intensive care unit.

NEW ZEALAND

There are 12,020 new COVID-19 cases in the community in New Zealand on Sunday, the Ministry of Health has announced.

There are 957 people in hospital with the virus, including 26 in an intensive care or high dependency unit.

This is an increase on Saturday's hospitalizations of 939, with two more people in ICU compared with 24 hours ago.

The ministry has also announced nine COVID-related deaths.

Of the nine people who have died, four were from Auckland, one was from Waikato, one was from the Capital and Coast DHB area, and three were from Bay of Plenty.

Two of the people were in their 50s, two were in their 70s, four in their 80s and one in their 90s.

The ministry has also announced travellers from Samoa to New Zealand on four specific flights over coming weeks must do two rapid antigen tests (RATs) after they arrive.

The first must be done on Day 1/0 - within 36 hours of arriving - and the second on day 5/6, between 120 and 144 hours after arriving.

They will be given testing kits on arrival.

The new requirement comes after community transmission was detected in Samoa on Thursday.