Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa’s fatalities relating to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic continue to climb slowly and have reached total cumulative mortality of 23 coronavirus related death, according to the LBJ Medical Center presentation at Tuesday’s COVID-19 Task Force briefing from the Emergency Operations Center.

LBJ reported at the Apr. 19 briefing that the newest COVID related fatality is a 90-year old female who was unvaccinated, with comorbidity, according to officials who attended the briefing, where Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale — who is also the Governor’s Authorized Representative (GAR) — again raised issues on the hospital’s morgue policy for those who pass away from a COVID related ailment.

 LBJ was encouraged to come up with a firm morgue policy while the hospital is looking to provide an agreement for the families to see their loved ones on the last day at LBJ, where the casket will be open for viewing at the morgue but not at the funeral service.

The EOC briefing also provided an updated scheduled of funerals this week, with one held yesterday, two on the schedule for tomorrow (Friday), and four on Saturday. While the task force has set policy on the number of attendance at funeral services — 10 indoors and 20 outdoors — public complaints continue to pour in to Samoa News of recent funerals where large number of people were in attendance with social distancing not observed. 

Also at the EOC briefing, the Health Department provided the COVID-19 Situational Report, which states that 20 new positive cases were reported on Apr. 18, with 9 of them getting therapeutic treatment at LBJ and DoH clinics. 

Of the new positive cases — 16 are fully vaccinated, three without any shots, and one is ineligible — a child 5 years and younger.

And as of Apr. 18, the territory’s total cumulative COVID-19 community spread positive cases has reached 5,647 since the outbreak was first recorded on Feb. 22. And a total of 4,965 individuals have been released from home isolation.

DoH also reported that 202 COVID tests were conducted on Flag Day in Manu’a and all returned negative and this means the island group appears to remain COVID free.

At the time of the EOC briefing, DoH reported that 83.9% of the territory’s eligible population is fully vaccinated.

SECOND BOOSTER DOSE

DoH shared during the briefing the update on the second booster shot and discussions continue on when to roll it out. DoH is expected to finalize discussions soon prior to making the official announcement.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.

Furthermore, a second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals 12 years of age and older with certain kinds of immune-compromised conditions at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.  (More information on second booster at www.fda.gov)