‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala faka-Tonga
Tokelau remains in lockdown following the announcement of its first Covid-19 community cases.
“We knew that it would eventually get to Tokelau, so we prepared,” Tokelau Government General Manager Aukusitino Vitale said.
Between 15 and 26 May, four community cases were recorded in Nukunonu.
Tokelau is now officially the second to last country in the world to experience community transmission of Covid-19, with Turkmenistan still at zero cases as of 26 May according to the WHO.
On top of the four community cases in Nukunonu, which is the largest atoll in Tokelau, there was one border case and two recorded at the border on Fakaofo.
Vitale said the index border case arrived on the Lady Samoa with more than 70 other people in Tokelau on Sunday, 14 May.
They stopped off in Atafu and Fakaofo and all passengers who disembarked on Nukunonu tested negative on day one but on day three, a 48-year-old male tested positive.
One week later on Sunday, 21 May, the man’s son tested positive, becoming the first community case in Tokelau.
Vitale, who was also on the voyage, said the five-day lockdown which is only in place in Nukunonu ends on 28 May local time.
“Have courage, we have a very good, high herd immunity rate which is really helping with the positive cases, it’s just been flu symptoms, fever is of course the most difficult one but apart from that people are recovering.”
The restrictions in place mean Matiti School on Nukunonu is closed, as well as all government offices.
Essential services like the hospital, co-op store and finance are open with special arrangements in place to minimise people moving about in the village.
People are allowed to feed their livestock between 7am to 9am.
By RNZ
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Oku kei loka ‘a Tokelau hili e fanongonongo ‘enau fuofua keisi Koviti-19.
Ne tokamea’i pe ‘e he kainga ‘e iku pe o a’u ange pea ne nau teuteu pe ki ai.
Na’e lekooti ai ‘a e keisi ‘e fa he komiunitii ‘i he vaha’a taimi ‘aho 15 ki he 26 ‘o Mee i Nukunonu.
Kuo hoko ai ‘a Tokelau ko e fika ua ia ki he muimui taha ‘o ha fonua ‘i mamani ke ne ma’u ‘a e Koviti 19, kae kei hao pe ‘a Turkmenistan heene a’u mai ki he ‘aho 26 Mee’ fakatatau ki he WHO.
Kehe mei he keisi komiuniti ‘e faa ‘i Nukunono ‘a ia ko e motu lahi taha ia ‘i Tokelau ne ‘i ai ‘a e keisi ‘e taha he potaa’ mo e ua ne lekooti ‘i he pota ‘o Fakaofo.
Pehe ko e keisi he potaa ne tu’uta ange ia ‘i he vake Ha’amoa ko e Lady Samoa mo ha kakai ‘e toko 70 ‘i Tokelau he Sapate ‘aho 14 o Mee.
Ne nau tau ai ‘i Atafu mo Fakaofo pea ne nekativi pe kau pesese ne nau hifo i Nukunonu he uluaki ‘aho ka ‘i he ‘aho hono tolu ne tesi positive ai ha tangata ta’u 48.
Hili ha uike ‘e taha ki mui i he Sapate ko hono 21 o Mee ne tesi positivi ai ‘a e foha e tangata ne puke pea ko e fuofua keisi ia i he komiunitii i Tokelau.
Na’e pehē ‘e Vitale, ‘a ia ne kau foki mo ia ‘i he fononga, na’e ngata ‘a e loka ‘aho nima ‘a Nukunonu ‘i he ‘aho 28 ‘o Mee taimi fakalotofonua’.
Na’a ne poupou ki hono kakai ke nau loto lahi he oku lelei ‘aupito ‘enau ‘imiunti rate ‘a ia ‘oku tokoni lahi ia ki he ngaahi keisi positive, ko e faka’ilonga pe ia ‘o e fuluu, ko e mofi ‘a e konga faingata’a taha kae makehe mei ai kuo ake mai ‘a e kakai.
Koeuhi ko e ngaahi fangatangata kuo hoko ‘oku ‘uhinga ia ‘oku tapuni ‘a e ako’anga Matiti ‘i Nukunonu pea ngaahi ‘ofisi fakapule’anga.
Ava pe ngaahi sevese fiema’ua hange ko e fale mahaki, ngaahi fale koloa mo e pa’anga ‘i ha fokotu’utu’u makehe ki ai ke fakasi’isi’i e feō’aki ‘a e kakai.
‘Oku ‘atā ‘a e kakai ke fafanga ‘enau fanga monumanu’ he vaha’a e 7am ki he 9am.
