36-year-old male the youngest Covid-19 related death recorded

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 11 MAY 2022: A thirty-six-year-old male with no known comorbidities and was unvaccinated has been recorded as Samoa’s youngest Covid-19 related death. The Ministry of Health’s latest Situational Report dated 8 May 2022 said he had no known comorbidities and he died from severe pneumonia due to COVID-19.

Two other deaths were confirmed as Covid related that of a 94 year old female with no known comorbidities who was unvaccinated. She died from severe pneumonia due to COVID-19 on 04 May 2022.

An 80 year old male with known comorbidities and bed bound who was unvaccinated also died from severe pneumonia due to COVID-19 on 07 May 2022 and increasing the country’s fatality toll to 23.

The report also noted that there are other deaths among registered cases that are not primarily caused by COVID-19.

The majority of the previous 23 deaths were of the elderly age group and the age range is between 36 and 94 years and the Average age is 73 years.

Up to Sunday, 08 May, 1,114 new positive cases have been recorded with 11,045 positive cases altogether since 18 March including positive cases reported from flights.

The majority of cases are female with 56% and males at 46%.

“Of the total reported community cases, 974 were children between 0-4 years. About 1.7% of these cases were reported to have been admitted and no reported COVID-19 related deaths.”

The majority of the cases were notified from TTMH, Leulumoega DH and self-reporting.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Health, Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen said majority of the positive cases who were isolated and treated at the hospital have recovered and released to their homes.

“Currently, there are no patients in the ICU but only five patients remain at the isolation ward for treatments due to Covid-19,” he said.

“It’s been three weeks since there hasn’t been a major change with our Covid-19 status, it wasn’t going up or down but a straight line but it’s still hard to predict when the virus will peak.”

According to Dr. Tagaloa, the average of positive cases on a daily basis is 115. The majority of those infected are of the youth age group.

Last week, the vaccination roll-out in communities for all four islands concluded, which covered 5-year-olds and over for their first and second doses, as well as booster doses.

Vaccinations are still open for those who haven’t completed their vaccinations in all hospitals and private clinics.

Booster doses will also be available by the end of the month for the 16-17 age group.