Tonga has reported two new cases of Covid-19 bringing the total number of active cases now to seven.
The Minister of Health Saia Piukala said all seven cases were asymptomatic and were vaccinated with two doses except two of them who were children.
The Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said during a press conference this afternoon the lockdown was extended for another two weeks for Tongatapu and Vava’u only. This meant, all restrictions had been lifted for Ha’apai, ‘Eua and the Niuas.
The Tongatapu and Vava’u lockdown was eased on Tuesdays and Fridays to allow shops, gas stations and banks to open to the public.
Customers were urged to wear face coverings and keeping two metres apart.
Booster shots
Hon Hu’akavameiliku said more than 10,000 booster shots will arrive in Tonga this Saturday from New Zealand.
Hon Hu’akavameiliku said talk was underway to bring back Tongans who were stranded in Fiji. He said Tongan MV Taka’ipomana, which was expected to return from Fiji next week was considered for their return but some of the stranded Tongans have medical condition which means they could not travel by sea. The Prime Minister said Fiji Airways was an option.
The new cases of Covid-19 were detected on Saturday with an earlier case already recovered.
The kingdom went into lockdown on Wednesday after detecting its first community transmissions of Covid on Tuesday. Its first Covid case was recorded in October 2021 after a passenger from Christchurch tested positive at the boarder and recovered at an MIQ.
