Health not Speculating if Community Cases had been in Samoa for a while

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 21 MARCH 2022: The Acting Director of Health, Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen is sticking to the Ministry of Health’s long held line – that Samoa has had no community transmission of the Covid-19 virus.

Samoa has been one of the last few places on earth to record a Covid-19 positive community case.

Well, not until last Thursday, when a 29 year old American who had been living in Samoa for almost three years was tested positive.

She was named as Samoa’s first community case and activated the current lockdown at Alert Level Three. With RAT testing in various screening sites since last Friday, positive community cases has crossed three digit numbers and with confirmed positive cases in Savaii.

4 Savaii cases had contact with the first case
Tagaloa confirmed that the four cases in Savaii did have contact with the first case. He also said that many of the positive cases do have a clear connection to the first case; even though some cases do not have a clear connection.

“But if you look at the many places the first case had been, there are positive cases and there is a connection. All the four cases in Savaii have a connection,” he stated.

Pressured by the media “that it appears the virus had been in the community for a sometime,” Tagaloa stood his ground.

“I would not speculate and I would stand by the Ministry’s long standing position, but we are still collating data and the work is still in progress.”

NEOC Chairman, Agafli Shem Leo and Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen in a Zoom press conference.

Tagaloa and NEOC’s Agafili Shem Leo were silent for a few seconds when a local newscaster bluntly asked if the latest case means the Ministry and its systems had failed.

After a few seconds of silence, Tagaloa responded that the word “fail” was too strong which was rephrased and used “lapse.”

“I wouldn’t say the system has failed as we have successfully kept the virus out for the last two years,” said Tagaloa.

“But we have always informed the country to be prepared as the virus will ultimately get to the community.”

Then he asked the person who asked the question “what had she done to keep the virus out.”

Chairman of NEOC, Agafili Sem Leo reiterated that the message had always been that it was a matter of time before the virus infects the communities.

“It was never a question of “if” but rather a question of “when” so it was only a matter of time before the virus hit Samoa,” said Agafili.

“Now is that time, and there is no room for finger pointing. It’s been over two years work, but the virus has entered our communities. And there’s one objective, for Samoa to be Safe,” he stated.

Agafili said that part of such preparations was to station a medical doctor at all district hospitals to work with the nurses if such calamity arises.

He cautioned the media not to point fingers at such sensitive and crucial time for everyone to stand and work together in the fight against COVID-19.