UPDATE: New Push for Vaccination as Confirmed Community Cases Hit 1,665

Press Release

APIA, SAMOA – 31 MARCH 2022: With only 69 percent of the population who have completed their Covid-19 vaccinations, there is a new push for the vaccination roll out as positive community cases hit 1,665 as at 2pm yesterday, 30 March 2022.

The Ministry of Health confirmed 172 new community cases over that time, pushing the number of community cases to  1,665 since the first case was recorded on 17 March 2022. It now brings the number of active community cases to 1,353.

Approximately 97 percent (1618) of community cases are in Upolu with 3 percent (47) in Savaii. There are still no community cases recorded for the islands of Manono and Apolima Tai.

According to the Ministry, the prevalence of Covid-19 infection is significantly higher among those aged from 15 to 35.  However, data also shows an increasing rate of infection among those between the ages of 35 and 55. The Ministry of Health confirmed 18,805 RATs have been administered to date since the first case was detected.

Samoa has administered in total 331,987 doses of COVID vaccines so far. This includes 36,682 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for those aged 5 to 11 years; 48, 231 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for the 12 to 17 year-olds and a total of 247, 074 doses (AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines) for those aged 18 years and over.

According to information from the Ministry of Health, 96.4 percent of Samoa’s eligible population has received their first dose, 69.1 percent have received their second dose and 13.8 percent of those aged 18 years and over have received their booster shots.