Photo: RNZ / Alex Perrottet
Samoa is more than halfway through it's 48 hour nationwide lockdown and health officials report via social media that no community transmission of Covid-19 has been identified.
Samoa's government declared a nationwide lockdown starting at 6pm Saturday until 6pm tonight.
All offices, shops, bars and restaurants are closed and only vehicles for essential services are allowed on the roads.
All frontline staff were taken into quarantine on Saturday and have tested negative so far.
Police have set up roadblocks around the country and can issue on the spot fines up to 2,000 tālā for those who break the state of emergency orders.
Arrests
Six people in Samoa were arrested for driving under the influence on Saturday night, despite repeated warnings by the government of a nationwide lockdown.
Acting Police Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo has commended those who adhered to the government's call after fears of covid-19 in the community.
But he said a handful of people defied the State of Emergency orders.
He said it's the drunk drivers that caused grave concerns.
The acting commissioner also said police have encountered some businesses claiming their activities are essential when clearly they are not.
He said those business owners will be cited.
More than 200 police have been working 12 hours shifts to enforce the lockdown.