Two suspected cases of the Omicron variant arrive in New Caledonia
The president of New Caledonia said two suspected cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 have been detected among arriving passengers.
Louis Mapou told a news conference one person had arrived from Sydney and the other from France via Tokyo.
He said the two individuals, who were vaccinated, have light symptoms.
Tests are continuing but 60 close contacts are now in home isolation.
Mask wearing in public has been reinstated, just two days after the measure had been dropped.
Mr Mapou has not excluded a further tightening of restrictions.
Samoa economy forecast to bounce back
Samoa's Central bank is tipping the country's economy to start to recover from the pandemic.
The bank said the economy, which has steadily declined over the past two years, is forecast to rise by 1.7 percent this current financial year up from minus 8.1 percent in 2020/21.
The Central Bank of Samoa in the capital Apia. Photo: RNZI/ Koroi Hawkins
The Samoa Observer reports the forecasts are contained in the Central Bank of Samoa's Monetary Policy Statement for the financial year 2021/2022.
The statement said the expected rebound reflects the positive outlook for remittances, coupled with predicted pickup in domestic demand for goods and services as the domestic economy normalises without visitor arrivals.
It says sectors to get a boost include commerce, food and beverage and manufacturing.
In the Federated States of Micronesia, the island of Pohnpei is reporting a 20-fold increase in influenza-like illnesses.
A person being tested for Covid-19 is now being considered a false positive case and the government there is confident the island group remains Covid-free.
The Pohnpei State hospital and local clinics have 79 cases of an influenza-like illness and all have tested negative for Covid-19.
FSM President David Panuelo has called on Micronesians to treat the increase of the common cold as "a kind of fire drill for COVID-19" to practice hand washing, staying home if sick, and mask wearing.
Health officials are also advising sick people to avoid crowds, closed spaces, and unnecessary contact with anyone outside of their family.
Airport boost for Marianas
America's Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is awarding about $US6 million to upgrade the airports of the northern islands of the Northern Marianas.
The Pagan airstrip will receive $110,000 while the Benjamin Taisacan Manglong International Airport on Rota and the Tinian International Airport will each receive just over $1 million.
The Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport will receive almost $4 million.
The money can be used for runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability projects, as well as terminal, transit connections and roads.
This is the first of five annual rounds of funding for airports in the Commonwealth.
The money comes from the Airport Infrastructure Grant programme and the FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects across the US costs $43.6 billion.
Eruption not affecting Fiji air
The Fijian government says the air over the country is safe to breathe following the volcanic eruption in Tonga.
The Department of Environment has analysed sulphur dioxide concentration levels over Fiji, and has confirmed that they are below the World Health Organisation's air quality guidelines.
The Department will continue to closely monitor the situation and work with the Fiji National Disaster Management Office and Fiji Meteorological Service.
Inter-Samoa flights on the cards again
American Samoa officials are looking to normalise commercial flights with Samoa next year.
American Samoa Covid-19 Task Force chairman, Talauega Eleasalo Ale, said the hope for the new year ahead is that inter-Samoa flights will return to normal and regular commercial flight schedules to be coordinated with the Samoa Government.
Flights between the two Samoas have been ongoing for most of the year to repatriate returning residents in Samoa, special skilled labourers, guest workers, and to assist residents requiring U.S Visas to seek medical care in the U.S
Meanwhile, the Task Force has approved a request from StarKist Samoa cannery for additional guest workers from Samoa to meet production needs and flight arrangements.
Efforts are ongoing between the governments of American Samoa and Samoa to support those efforts.
Hero payment for America Samoa's frontliners
American Samoa Covid-19 Task Force members and support staff will be receiving a one-off "hero payment".
Task force chairman, Talauega Eleasalo Ale, says over the last two years government leaders and employees have taken on additional responsibilities due to
COVID-19 from airport and seaport flight operations, mass vaccination efforts, repatriation efforts, and quarantine operations.
He didn't provide the number of those who will get the "hero pay" nor the amount they'll receive.
Talauega says that "hero pay" has been implemented in the US for healthcare and frontline workers amid cases globally of depression and mental health challenges due to staff shortages and burnout.
Teen's criminal behaviour 'escalating'
In Samoa, an 18-year-old convicted of several crimes, including two counts of burglaries; two charges of theft, arson and grevious bodily harm has been sentenced to two years and three months in jail.
Anelusi Anelusi appeared before Justice Niava Mata Tuatagaloa to be sentenced for the burglaries and assaulting a taxi driver with a hammer.
The driver sustained a deep laceration and small fracture to his head in the attack.
That same day the defendant gone to a home at Afega and intentionally started a fire.
Justice Tuatagaloa noted that the pre-sentence report said Anelusi had an outstanding warrant of arrest against him when he committed these offences.
She said his criminal behaviour seems to be escalating.