COVID-19 UPDATE: 5 more Frontliners Test Positive – 25 Cases so far

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 25 JANUARY 2022: The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri has confirmed 5 new cases of COVID-19 as of 2pm today bringing the number of positive cases so far to 25.

Leausa told BluTV in Auckland, New Zealand that the new positive cases are all front line workers.

No details were given and the local media are waiting if the Director General and NEOC would be calling a press conference to inform and update the public about the new cases.

Of the 73 passengers on the charter flight from Brisbane that arrived Wednesday, 19th January, 15 tested positive and 5 frontline workers – all nurses, were confirmed positive yesterday.

The lockdown was extended from 6pm last night and shops and other services were opened between 8am and 2pm today before the lockdown continues until 6pm Thursday 27th January.

According to Leausa, as of 2pm today, 5 more frontline workers have tested positive so far bringing the total to 10 and has raised public concern that the virus may already be in the community.

However, Leausa assured the country last night that all frontline workers who were on duty the day the flight arrived are all in quarantine and none of them have any symptoms of some kind.

He said they were all quarantined early Wednesday after the flight was cleared and all passengers delivered to the quarantine sites.

Samoa is currently on Level 3 Alert and Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa last night announced that there is no evidence of any community transmission.

The lockdown has been extended for another 72 hours and Cabinet is monitoring the situation closely.