Niuean MP medevacced; curfew imposed for French Polynesia; repatriation flight to Tonga delayed; Delta strain detected in Guam, and more.
An RNZAF Hercules is today carrying out a mission to Niue to pick up a sick MP (File photo). Photo: NZDF
Niuean MP flown to New Zealand for medical treatment
Niue MP Richard Hipa has been medevacced to New Zealand.
A New Zealand Air Force Hercules aircraft arrived in Niue this morning to airlift him to New Zealand for medical treatment.
Niue Broadcasting said Hipa had a long career as a senior public servant before entering parliament last year. He was accompanied on the flight by his wife and youngest daughter Monu.
Curfew starting for French Polynesia
Authorities in French Polynesia are imposing a curfew from tonight due to the growing Covid-19 outbreak.
The curfew will run from 9pm to 4am each day.
Hospitals in Pape'ete have been under strain since last month when case numbers began rising again.
Health authorities said 223 people are in hospital, including 26 in ICU.
In the past year, more than 19,000 people in the territory caught Covid-19, and 144 people died.
There have been 25,919 confirmed cases of Covid-19 so far, and 181 deaths. And to date, 104,800 vaccine doses have been administered.
Repatriation flight to Tonga postponed by a month
A repatriation flight to Tonga from Australia's Brisbane scheduled for 25 August has been postponed to 25 September due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Australia.
In a statement, Tongan officials said the Australian Government was looking into using another airport to enable travel between Australia and Tonga, due to the situation in Brisbane.
Matangi Tonga online said the authorities were hoping for no more delays to repatriation flights after this postponement.
The New Zealand government was looking into the possibility of allowing one-way quarantine free travel for passengers arriving from Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu, possibly starting in September, Tonga confirmed.
This arrangement would be for only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, those with a New Zealand visa, and seasonal workers.
Governor of Guam Lou Leon Guerrero Photo: Supplied/ Expressions Studio
Delta strain detected in Guam
The Covid-19 Delta variant has reached Guam according to government officials.
Five out of 21 samples sent for testing to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention contained the Delta variant.
Pacific Islands Times reported that of those five, four had no history of travel, which showed the variant had begun to spread within the community.
The strain's arrival had raised the concern of leaders in the island's medical community since it is more highly transmissible than the original virus.
In a press conference, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said no further restrictions would be placed on residents.
However, she did not rule out reinstating restrictions if hospital admissions increase.
Public health officials and police have been asked to enforce existing restrictions for large gatherings and issue citations for those who fail to comply, Guerrero said.
Drunk drivers are causing concern in the Cook Islands Photo: Supplied: Cook Islands Police Service
Cook Islands drunk driving concerns
The police in the Cook Islands say 80 people were disqualified due to drunk driving last month, local media reported.
Over the weekend, five people were forbidden from driving due to alcohol- related matters.
Two tourists from New Zealand were reported to have been caught with breathalyser readings more than double the legal driving limit.
Charges laid in Solomon Islands family abuse case
Solomon Islands police have arrested a suspect for rape in Western Province
The 36-year-old man was charged with raping his four daughters, who were between two months and two years old.
The offending was allegedly carried out over a four year period and police said he had threatened to kill her and the girls if the abuse was reported.
Despite the threat, police said the mother eventually contacted them.
An investigation is continuing, and the man is being held in custody at the Gizo Correctional Facility awaiting trial.