Apia, SAMOA — The Government Press Secretariat confirmed last night that two students returning home from China via Nadi Fiji have been quarantined as a precautionary measure.

The students arrived on Friday night via Nadi Fiji on Fiji Airways.

The Samoan students are isolated under self-quarantine for 14 days at the Faleolo Health Clinic, joining the two sailors who had been transitted in China on route to Samoa last Monday.

The Director of Public Health and Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Samoa’s Ministry of Health Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen says the students went through general screening at Faleolo Airport.

“After health screening at the airport, the students had no physical or visible symptoms associated to the Coronavirus”, says Dr. Robert Thomsen.

“However, the 14-day self-quarantine is compulsory for all returning Samoan citizens who have transited or stayed in China”, he added.

The Government of Samoa reiterates in a Press Release Meanwhile that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is closely monitoring the virus developments in China “with the safety of the rest of Samoan scholarship students and Samoa citizens in the Republic a priority”.

Back at Faleolo, the two students join two Samoan sailors who have been detained and quarantined at Faleolo since Monday this week.

“The sailors also have not developed any symptoms associated to the virus since they were incubated,” says Tagaloa who reminds the public that the quarantine mandate is enforced without any exemptions.

Read more at Samoa Global News