Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — LBJ Medical Center has reported a new COVID-19 related death, bringing the fatality tally to 32, since the first death relating to the deadly virus was documented in March this year, according to the hospital’s presentation at Tuesday afternoon’s COVID-19 Task Force weekly briefing, where the Health Department reported another up-tick in the number of positive cases — just over 300 — for the week of June 27 to July 3.

The LBJ report was presented by Dr. Abraham Le’iato who announced the new COVID related death — an 89-year old male, with “severe pneumonia” and who was not vaccinated, according to ASG officials who attended the task force briefing.

The officials told Samoa News that the deceased — with comorbidities — was admitted to LBJ on June 27 but the family didn’t want to continue treatment and he was therefore released. However, he was brought back to the hospital and passed away on June 29.

Dr. Le’iato, during his presentation also raised concerns with the jump in the number of positive cases in a 24-hour period at LBJ, with 25 positive cases confirmed; treatment administered in up to 10 cases (for the same period); while 65 total treatments were administered in the last 7-days; and admission count is at 6 at this time.

He urged the task force for help in pushing out public information to the community to mask-up and social distance especially in public gathering places to prevent another surge in the territory.

DoH COVID-19 Situational Report at the task force meeting re-affirmed a spike in the number of positive cases for the week of June 27 to July 3 as more COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted under the current emergency declaration and residents ignore the strong recommendation from the task force and medical community to wear masks and social distance in public places.

The report, presented by DoH Clinical director Dr. Elizabeth Lauvao, states that of the 3,847 individuals tested at DoH clinics and LBJ, there were 317 new positive cases — compared the previous week of June 20- 26 in which there were 139 positives from 3,621 individuals who were tested.

Of the new positives, 104 of them were treated at either DoH or LBJ, according to the report, which also shows 394 active cases.

The new positive cases brings American Samoa’s total cumulative count to 6,811 since the first community spread of COVID-19 was recorded in late February this year on Tutuila.

In Manu’a, the DoH report shows a total of 26 new positive cases for the week of June 27 to July 3, covering Ta’u and Ofu islands while Olosega island remains COVID free. The Manu’a island group’s total cumulative count since the outbreak there, stands at 106.

Dr. Lauvao told the task force meeting on Tuesday that most of the new positive cases in Manu’a were from a funeral held on Ta’u island, and this included two new cases for Ofu island from the individuals who attended the same funeral, according to ASG officials at the meeting.

The DoH Situation Report also gave an update summary of the number of incoming travelers currently in isolation at ASG supervised facility. As of July 5 — Tuesday this week — a total of five travelers were in isolation: two of them tested positive from the Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu on July 4 and three passengers tested positive also on July 4 from flights from Apia.

A total of 142 passengers tested negative for the July 4 Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu.