Apia, SAMOA — Based on the latest official data released by Samoa’s Director General of Health Leausa Samau Dr. Take Naseri during a joint press conference Thursday this week with National Emergency Operation Center, (N.E.O.C.) Chairman Agafili Tomaimanō Shem Leo, paper its deadly frightening to say the least.

According to Leausa,since March 17 whenthefirstCOVID-19communitytransmission surfaced, 5,075 positive cases including 63 borders cases from the Faleolo International Airport, (0 from the Matautu Port) have been recorded with the Ministry of Health as of 13th of April 2022.

The alarming surge in positive cases is coupled by 10 COVID19 related deaths during the same period.

In the meantime, on April 13 or Wednesday this week, 281 new positive cases were reported for that 24 hour.

And the reality is that the worse has yet to come, warns the Director General of Health elaborating that after diagnosing and analyzing the accelerating number of positive cases on a weekly basis since 17th March, Samoa’s dilemma will worsen and most likely to peak in four weeks’ time.

Since the community outbreak the numbers have slowly soar from 94 after the initial 7 days to 147 positive cases during the 24th to 30th April 7 day period.

The following week (March 31 to April 6) the weekly average of positive cases marched up to 203. And in the last 7 days period until Wednesday, April 13, 2022, the weekly average continued its upward trend to 270.

As for Isolation, treated and discharged patients since March 17, 133 positive cases were admitted and by Wednesday this week 104 have recovered and discharged leaving 19 in hospital, 17 remain in isolation and 2 admitted to ICU.

And there is more frightening news ahead, said Leausa.

This week, the World Health Organization issued a global alert of three new COVID mutants under observation

The daunting data and international COVID19 international developments are however not distracting the Health Chief from resounding the governments’ public plea for residents to have their vaccination doses.

With the borders breached, Leausa says that “vaccination is the country’s final frontier to protect Samoa from COVID19” and to minimize the virus collateral damage which will eventually end up in the unnecessary loss of innocent lives if certain residents remain complacent.

While Samoa’s fate is at crossroads, N.E.O.C. Chairman Agafili Tomaimanō is reiterating the Governments’ message of hope for people to heed the call to get protection from the virus through vaccination.

“Let us unite in prayers seeking the Almighty’s’ everlasting protection. Let us not loose our faith because our Father in heaven will not forsake his people,” prayed Agafili.

Health teams in the meantime are continuing with the vaccinations for children from 5 years old to adults.

Details are available via the Ministry of Health website https://www.health.gov.ws/ and the Government of Samoa https://www.samoagovt.ws/ complemented by their respective Facebook Pages https://www.facebook.com/healthsamoa and https://www.facebook.com/samoagovt

REMINDER

• Samoa is now at Alert Level 2 - Orange since Wednesday 06 April 2022, 12:01am until 19 April 2022, 11:59pm

• An extension of SOE period was approved by the Head of State extending the SOE period starting from 11 April ending on the 08 May 2022.

STATE OF EMERGENCY ORDER 76 HAS BEEN RELEASED WITH STIPULATED CONDITIONS FOR ONGOING MONITORING.

• Businesses are permitted to open from 6am – 2pm from Monday to Saturday except Sunday 


•  Gatherings for Church service and Funerals will be limited to a number of 30, and permitted from 6am to 2pm on any day 


• Government services will resume and will follow PSC Circular Memorandum 2021/2022 - 12 


• All schools will be closed and continue online learning