Kiribati govt relaxes travel between islands
Kiribati has recorded almost 3,000 Covid-19 cases since the Government announced that passengers from its first international flight in 10-months had tested positive for Coronavirus on January 21.
As of Sunday, 2,914 people have contracted the virus, with 11 confirmed deaths. Four people currently admitted to hospital for medical care.
There have been 2,051 recoveries.
The Health Ministry said that community transmission is widespread and authorities are concerned people are underestimating the effect of Covid-19 to be as mild as a common flu.
The Kiribati Government has relaxed Covid-19 travel restrictions between a number of its islands to help citizens who are stranded to return home.
In a statement, the government said traveling between South Tarawa and Betio to other outers islands - which already have community transmission - is now allowed.
These islands include Makin, Abaiang, North Tarawa, Aranuka and Abemama islands.
French Polynesia records over 1000 Covid cases
French Polynesia has recorded another 1,116 Covid-19 cases in the last 48-hour reporting period.
The authorities say 25 people are now in hospital, including four in intensive care, while nother person has died.
There are officially just over 3,600 active cases, but the actual figure is believed higher because it excludes people who are self-testing and those who are asymptomatic.
As the vaccination rate has reached almost 80 percent, the peak of the latest outbreak appears to have passed.
According to La Depeche de Tahiti, the government is considering lifting the vaccination mandate declared last year.
It reports that a study has shown that more than 95 percent of people surveyed have developed Covid antibodies.
Two more people die of Covid in CNMI
Two more people have died of Covid-19 in the Northern Marianas, taking the death toll from Covid to 29.
The Governor's Covid-19 Task Force announced the deaths while also confirming 296 new cases.
Seven people are in hospital as a result of Covid-19 . One of the seven is on a ventilator.
Two more people test positive for Covid-19 in the Cook Islands
There are now 10 Covid-19 cases in the Cook Islands.
On Friday the first case, which was neither a recent arrival nor close contact of the previous 8 cases, was recorded.
In response, the Health Ministry Te Marae Ora (TMO) confirmed another case, a close contact of the positive case recorded earlier in the day.
Contact tracing has so far identified close contacts for both positive cases, who are now in quarantine.
All 10 cases have been fully vaccinated and none have required hospital treatment at any stage, with three remaining entirely asymptomatic to date.
American Samoa's 'Code Red' level extended
Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga has just announced on a KVZK-TV stream on FaceBook that the territory will remain under Code Red for another week.
Lemanu said the number of community transmitted cases stands at 63 as of yesterday.
The extension of code red means government departments and officials except essential services remain closed, as well as all schools. Businesses will operate from 5am to 4pm and a 9pm curfew continues.
Lemanu has thanked the public for their support and patience with the restrictions this past week because of the community cases of Covid -19, stressing the value of the public's support to contain the spread of the virus.
Covid-19 Fiji: Baby among 7 deaths
A 2 month old boy is among 7 people to die from Covid-19 in Fiji.
The child died at home on January the 25th, after being sick for two days.
The Government also confirmed that the boy was tested for Covid-19 when he was brought to the hospital, and returned a positive result.
Fiji's Health Secretary Dr James Fong said the child's hospital records revealed he had a congenital medical condition from birth, which had contributed to the severity of his illness.
Dr Fong also reported 35 new Covid-19 cases in the community.
There are 140 active cases in isolation with 16 patients in hospital.
The death toll is 833.
Eight children aged under 18 in Fiji have died from Covid-19.
Fiji's Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said only children aged 12 to 17 are eligible to get the vaccine.
Health Minister, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete Photo: Fiji Govt
But he said there are moves to get those aged 5 to 11 vaccinated against Covid-19 too.
"The progress is set on certain conditions that we have to meet, but we are making progress on that discussion. The clinicians provide guidance on what other medicines are available locally that could be used as a substitute. That has been done."
As of February 25th 2022, 44,347 children aged 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated in Fiji.
Lockdown in Tonga extended to March
A nationwide lockdown in Tonga has been extended until March 6.
Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku announced the extension in a press conference.
There are minor changes to the lockdown rules which have been in force since the second of February.
All public gatherings such as attending churches, kava clubs and gyms is prohibited.
Social distancing and mask wearing are mandatory in public, and a night time curfew remains in force from 8pm to 5am.
Weddings and funerals are permitted but attendance is restricted to 10 guests indoors and 20 guests outdoors.
Covid slows economic growth and recovery, says Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor
The global occurrence of new Covid-19 variants continues to provide friction, slowing down economic growth and recovery, Governor of the Fiji Reserve Bank Ariff Ali said.
The Bank's board has decided to keep the overnight policy rate unchanged at 0.25 percent.
Fiji detected a case of the new Covid variant- the BA.2 - at the border. The BA.2 variant is one of three Omicron mutations which emerged late last year in southern Africa.
Governor Ali said that the recent downgrade to global growth for 2022 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) heavily reflected the impact of the Omicron variant.
He also said that the IMF report found that new variants of Covid-19 had reduced fiscal stimulus, caused some countries to withdraw monetary accommodation and disrupted supply chains.
"While risks to the global growth outlook remain tilted to the downside in the form of higher commodity prices, persistent supply chain disruptions, heightened geopolitical tensions, vaccine divide and rising inflationary pressures, economic growth in Fiji's key tourism source markets remains intact," Governor Ali said.