Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — As of Wednesday this week, two more of the quarantine staff tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 41 new infections in connection with the Jan. 27 flight from Honolulu, according to an ASG official, who says that the Governor’s Office has already been informed of this latest development.

The two new cases — quarantine staff with the Health Department, were immediately taken into 14-day isolation. As of Wednesday night, the total number of new infections relating to the Jan. 27 flight includes 33 travelers and now 8 quarantine staff.

During a Senate Committee-of-the Whole hearing on Wednesday morning, Health director Motusa Tuileama Nua said in response to a committee question that 8 quarantine staff had tested positive and were in isolation.

He didn’t elaborate further or provide an update as to the total number of new infections, although DoH provided a COVID-19 report, which shows only 39 confirmed cases — 33 travelers and six quarantine staff — relating to the Jan. 27 flight.

The Senate committee was informed that the 4th test for the quarantine travelers was scheduled for yesterday, Thursday, and all travelers whose results are negative would be released today, Friday, to their waiting family members.

No information was available at press time, on the outcome of yesterday’s 4th testing.

In a news release Wednesday, the COVID-19 Task Force — following its weekly meeting on Monday — explained that the reason for extending quarantine days for the Jan. 27 flight from 7-days to 14-days was the high number of positive cases including — 35 historical cases — those who had previously had the virus.

This was the same explanation that Motusa, along with DoH physicians — the territory’s lead Epidemiologist Dr. Aifili John Tufa and Clinical Service acting director Dr. Elizabeth Lauvao — shared with the Senate committee, when questioned about the increase in COVID-19 cases from this flight and extending quarantine days.   “Aua le pepelo”

However, Sen. Muagututi’a Tauoa, was not happy — telling the health officials that DoH wasn’t truthful to the travelers and the community, by saying only seven days of quarantine, and now extending it to 14-days.

Speaking in Samoan, Muagututi’a told the DoH witnesses “Aua le pepelo” — literally meaning, “don’t lie”.

Muagututi’a, considered the elder among senators and usually calm, didn’t hold back, and repeated the “pepelo” by DoH to travelers causing unnecessary concerns. He said he has about 8 family members from the flight in quarantine and all tested negative after the first three-tests.

He believes that travelers who tested negative should have been released from quarantine and this is the same sentiment that quarantined travelers shared on social media, placing strong criticism against DoH.

DoH officials explained that the reason for extending quarantine days is to ensure the safety of the public. (See separate story printed elsewhere in today’s edition on other issues covered in the Senate hearing.)

In the news release, the task force said that the additional days in quarantine resulted in some travelers lashing out at healthcare workers. (See yesterday’s Samoa News edition for details from the task force.)