Tonga has announced a snap lockdown for main island Tongatapu after a person tested positive for Covid, the first case since the worldwide pandemic.
The Prime Minister said the main island will go on lockdown for one week starting tomorrow Tuesday 2 at 12.01 am until Monday 8 at 11.59pm.
The case was detected in Nuku’alofa, after three tests conducted at the Vaiola hospital lap on samples from 215 passengers who flew from Christchurch to Tonga on Wednesday.
Authorities say they are working on the assumption that the new case was the Delta variant.
Around 62 per cent of Tonga’s population has been fully vaccinated.
The lockdown announcement was made according to the lockdown alert levels used in New Zealand and Australia.
The Prime Minister said essential services including businesses like banks and the market will stay open.
All schools are closed before the high school national exams starting on Tuesday 9, after the one-week lockdown ends on Monday 8.
Funeral services were allowed with 10 people inside and 20 outside
