250 people a day in Samoa seeking help for flu, some voting early in Cook Islands election, and no new community Covid cases in Nauru in latest figures
250 people a day in Samoa seeking help for flu
An average of 250 cases of influenza are being recorded in Samoa each day as three flu viruses and Covid-19 circulate in the community.
Acting director general of health, Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen, said the numbers of people with the flu are those who have sought help from doctors or hospitals in the past three weeks.
Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital Photo: facebook
Dr Thomsen expects a surge in cases once Samoa's border opens to international travellers from August 1st.
He said the presence of dengue fever has also been recorded in Samoa - with six cases confirmed in June - but he doesn't think Samoa will experience an outbreak.
He said the main hospital's surveillance team is noting people presenting with symptoms including diarrhoea, acute fever and rash.
Dr Thomsen said dengue fever usually occurs after rain and flooding and people need to watch out for mosquito breeding places.
Some voting early in Cook Islands election
With just a handful of days before the Cook Islands General Election on August 1, 174 people have already exercised their right to vote.
The chief electoral officer Taggy Tangimetua told the Cook Islands News some of those votes were from athletes and officials leaving the Islands to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
She said it has been a good early turnout.
The Electoral Office had also issued 277 postal votes and 27 had been received as of Wednesday.
Most of the postal votes have been sent to voters who are in Auckland on medical referrals.
Tangimetua said a major cost for the Electoral Office will be getting material through to the outer islands.
She said they are still trying to secure sea transport to Palmerston, Suwarrow, Nassau.
No new community Covid cases in Nauru in latest figures
Nauru appears to have got on top of its covid-19 outbreak.
In the most recent figures Nauru is reporting no new community cases.
There are 46 active cases but none are critical.
4,449 cases have recovered in the five weeks since the virus hit the island.
21 houses are still in lockdown.
NZ Navy ships deployed to Pacific
Two New Zealand Navy vessels will be dispatched to six Pacific Island countries next week.
Defence Minister Peeni Henare announced the planned departure of patrol boat HMNZS Wellington and off-shore support vessel HMNZS Manawanui.
Henare says the Navy will provide training to local forces and assist in border patrols.
The vessels will visit Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Business end of Oceania womens Nations Cup
The Oceania women's football Nations Cup enters the business end on Saturday with the first two quarter-finals taking place at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
First up, Samoa take on New Caledonia, followed by the top-ranked side in the competition, Papua New Guinea, playing Tonga.
On Sunday, hosts Fiji play the Cook Islands, and finally Solomon Islands play Tahiti for the final semi-final spot.
The winners of the final which takes place next weekend gain a spot in the Women's World Cup Playoff tournament in New Zealand early 2023.