Tonga vaccination process gets the thumbs up, PNG's covid controller urges people to follow the rules, Mongolian workers being repatriated from the Marianas and more.
Tonga Minister of Health Hon Dr 'Amelia Tu'ipulotu and Acting Health CEO Dr Reynold 'Ofanoa. Vaiola Hospital, Tongatapu Photo: © Matangi Tonga
Tonga vaccination process gets thumbs up
Tonga's vaccination program against the coronavirus is going well, says the Ministry of Health's communication officer, 'Aulola Ake.
The Ministry has issued a schedule which covers the main island of Tongatapu, through to May 8th.
The vaccination were launched on April 15th with Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita became the first to be innoculated.
The front-liners, including those working in the quarantine services, nurses and doctors, police and military, were vaccinated in the first three days.
Others, who are regarded by the Ministry of Health as the vulnerable sector of Tongan society - those 45 years and older, are also on the priority list.
24,000 vaccines have been shipped to Tonga, and it is expected that 20 percent of the population will be vaccinated by the end of the year.
Another shipment of vaccines for the second doses will arrive in May.
Acting CEO of Health, Dr. Reynold 'Ofanoa, announced that vaccines will "build immunity capacity to protect from the virus."
There are those who are worried about side effects. But Dr. 'Ofanoa said, "that in case of any severe side effects from the vaccines, we do have health workers that will be watching closely those who have been vaccinated."
PNG covid controller urges people to follow the rules
Papua New Guinea has 2,441 active covid-19 cases, after the surge over the past two months has resulted in more than ten thousand cases of the virus.
99 people have died.
The National Pandemic Controller, David Manning, has issued a further plea for people to follow the rules of their "Niupela Pasin," or new way of doing things.
He said "continue to wear masks, practice safe distancing of 1.5 meters and regularly wash your hands."
Mr Manning recovering from Covid-19 does not mean the danger is over.
Mongolia workers being repatriated from CNMI.
In the Northern Marianas the Saipan casino operator, Imperial Pacific, is aiming to send its Mongolian workers home early next month.
It had been helping them to get new CW-1 visas but has given up that quest.
Imperial Pacific said it hopes the 106 Mongolian workers remaining at the company can return home early in May.
The Mongolian workers entered the CNMI on H2-B work visas but applied to convert these visa status to CW-1.
Imperial Pacific has repatriated other foreign workers, but many others refuse to leave until they are paid their back wages.
Others are looking to change their immigration status, while travel restrictions in some places have yet to be lifted.
Two more Covid-19 cases at CNMI border
Two more people who arrived in the Northern Marianas have tested positive for Covid-19.
This takes the total number of confirmed cases in the territory to 164.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation says the two individuals were identified by travel screening and confirmed diagnosis through fifth day testing.
It says they were moved to the designated isolation area at the Kanoa Resort Alternate Care Site for close monitoring.
The Corp has already initiated contact tracing for the most immediate contacts of the new confirmed case, including passengers on the same flight.
Out of the 164 total COVID-19 cases, the Corp says 128 were identified by travel screening while 36 were local transmissions.