People quarantined in American Samoa will be vaccinated prior to their release, Fiji police probe alleged suicide attempt linked to TikTok video, and more
American Samoa’s Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga (left) and his deputy Talauega Eleasalo Ale. Photo: RNZ PACIFIC/Fili Sagapolutele
People quarantined in American Samoa will be vaccinated prior to release
The government made the announcement amid the first repatriation flight from the United States last week.
Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga said 159 passengers arrived in Pago Pago from Honolulu on February 1.
Lemanu said concerns had been raised by members of the public over the return of American Samoans home from the US.
The US has more than 23 million cases of the virus with almost 500,000 deaths reported.
Governor Lemanu said the passengers had all returned negative results for Covid-19 and remained in quarantine.
He said officials handling the passengers were also quarantined at the government facility.
Police probe alleged suicide attempt linked to TikTok video
Fiji police are investigating comments made on social media allegedly linked to a suicide attempt by a 17-year-old student.
Police say the attempt came after she received negative responses to her TikTok video.
The matter was reported to police last week and the student is recovering.
Police are urging parents to monitor and speak with their children about the pros and cons of social media.
PNG registers tenth Covid-19 death
A 54-year-old man from East Sepik Province has become the 10th known person in Papua New Guinea to die from Covid-19.
The man died a week after he was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of Covid-19 which were fever, cough, chest pain and shortness of breath.
Health authorities say was a long-term patient with hypertension.
In the latest update from authorities, eight new cases of the virus were reported in PNG, bringing the country's total number of confirmed positive cases to 922.
Of the eight new cases, one was from Morobe and the rest came from the Western Province.
Dengue clean-up campaign underway in Cooks
A one-day mass cleaning campaign to remove the breeding places of dengue carrying mosquitos is being carried out in the Cook Islands today.
The Cook Islands News reports that the health ministry is targeting beach and backroad areas.
The ministry is also planning a massive dengue mosquito spraying campaign on Monday.
The spraying is scheduled for two weeks.
According to the ministry there are eight confirmed dengue type 2 cases in Rarotonga.
Fiji Airways extends use of flight credits
Customers holding flight credits with Fiji Airways have been offered an extension to the end of 2022, which the airline said was due to cancelled flights amid the pandemic.
Since March 2019, Fiji Airways has suspended its international operations impacted by the border closures across its destinations.
In a statement, company director Andre Viljoen said the airline's objective is to ensure customers did not lose their bookings.
"The extension for use of flight credits by another 12 months will allow customers to choose another travel time that suits their circumstances and requirements.
"We will continuously review this policy and make further adjustments if required," Viljoen said.
He said the airline was working to ensure it is ready to "return to the skies and welcome back customers as soon as border restrictions ease and travel can resume safely".
Viljoen said customers could use their flight credits anywhere on the airline's network within the validity period.
New ombudsman for Samoa
Lawyer Afioga Luamanuvao Katalaina Sapolu has been appointed Samoa's new Ombudsman.
Luamanuvao replaces Afioga Maiava Iulai Toma, one of the longest-serving public servants in the country, who had served as Ombudsman for 27 years.
Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi said Luamanuvao had a wealth of experience in the legal profession both at home and internationally.
Afioga Luamanuvao Katalaina Sapolu. Photo: SUPPLIED/Samoa government