A 70-year-old Samoan man has tested positive for Covid-19 while in quarantine after arriving from Melbourne.
Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital Photo: facebook
Samoa's Director General of Health, Leausa Dr Take Naseri, announced the case this morning, saying the man is now in the special isolation ward at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole hospital.
The man and his wife had travelled to Samoa two weeks ago on a connecting repatriation flight from Auckland, after earlier departing Melbourne.
The man had initially tested negative upon arrival but a follow-up test produced the positive result.
His wife, who has tested negative, is also in isolation.
An additional seven days will now be added to the 14-day quarantine requirement for the 274 passengers from the same flight.
The chairman of the National Emergency Organising Committee, Agafili Shem Leo, urged the public to lift their efforts around prevention and to be cautious at all times.
The case comes a week after a repatriated sailor, on the same flight, produced one positive test result and two negatives.
The initial case's samples have been sent to New Zealand for further clarification.