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Covid-19 hospital cases in Christmas wave have potential to be worst yet, modelling shows

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 could hit a record high in the Christmas wave.

New modelling has been released by the Ministry of Health, suggesting a likely peak of about 1100 people in hospital with Covid on any given day.

That is more than both the first Omicron wave in March (1000 a day) and second in July (836), partly driven by more older people getting the virus for the first time.

The updated scenario shows community cases peaking at about 13,000 a day by the end of this month, up from 11,000 a day in the early modelling for this third Omicron wave.

Deaths were modelled to peak at about 22 a day.

The current wave has been notoriously hard to predict. That was partly because there are six Omicron variants – all with slightly different characteristics – in the mix, and because modellers did not know the impact earlier outbreaks had on immunity.

The ministry said the latest scenarios reflected updated information since the start of the wave, allowing modellers to get a clearer picture based on assumptions about a higher level of transmission, waning immunity and people’s behaviour changing since restrictions were relaxed.

But there was still a relatively high degree of uncertainty about how the outbreak would play out.

“These models outline possible futures,” a spokesperson said. “They are not inevitable and the steps each of us take to be prepared for Covid-19 this summer can make for a safer summer for everyone.”

Antivirals, medicines and booster dose could both significantly reduce the number of people with Covid-19 that require hospital care.

The “variant soup” had made the outbreak even more difficult to predict in the early stages, but one was beginning to stick its head above the other five in the mix.

BA.2.75 is now the most common, making up 39 percent of genetically sequenced cases and about 58 percent of wastewater detections.

It has overtaken BA.5, which had dominated for five-and-a-half months and once made up more than 90 percent of all cases.

It now makes up 33 percent of cases, with BQ1.1 making up 14 percent, XBC and the original Omicron BA.2 on 5 percent, and XBB on 2.5 percent.

The ministry said BA.2.75 appeared to be more transmissible and could evade some existing immunity from other variants, but there was no sign it causes more severe illness.

‘More guesswork’

Auckland University Network Contagion Modelling programme co-leader Dion O’Neale said hospital admission forecasts released by the ministry were based on a “pretty high estimate” of daily infections, and don’t account for the effect of antivirals.

“We hope we’ll be on the lower side of what’s been in that recent Ministry of Health reporting.”

“It’s more guesswork than doing exactly the same modelling was this time a year ago” – Dion O’Neale duration7′ :13″ 

Waning protection from of vaccinations over time, more older people contracting the virus, and the stronger ability of the dominant variant BA.2.75 to evade immunity from a prior infection were risks for increased transmission.

However this Omicron wave was more difficult to predict because 60 variants were circulating, each with a different ability to evade immunity, and there was little information on the effect of previous infections without the delayed infection prevalence survey.

“It’s more guesswork than doing exactly the same modelling was this time a year ago.”

It was possible initial forecasts of one in 20 people having the virus in the Christmas week could be slightly high, but there was still increased risk, he said.

Lifting public health measures in September and a change in individual behaviour at the same time led to a 20 percent rise in transmission, he said. In the absence of new public health measures there were still things people could do to reduce risk of getting the virus, such as wearing masks indoors and testing for asymptomatic infection.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

‘E malava ‘e he ta’au ‘o e kilisimasi ke toko lahi ‘aupito ai ‘a e kau tākoto falemahaki.
‘Oku ‘i ai ‘a e mahamahalo mei he me’a fai’anga fakafuofua fo’ou kuo tuku ange mai ‘e he Potungāue Mo’ui ‘e ngalingali ka a’u ki he toko tahaafe teau ‘a e kau puke ‘i he ‘aho.
‘E laka ange ‘eni ia ‘i he fuofua ha’aki ko ia ‘a e Omicron ‘i Ma’asi, na’e toko tahaafe he ‘aho, pea ‘i hono tu’o ua ‘i Siulai ko e toko valungeau tolungofulu mā ono [836], kau ki ai ‘a e toko lahi ange ‘a e kau toulekeleka ko e fuofua taimi ‘eni ke ma’u kinautolu ‘e he vailasi.  
Ko e tūkunga fakamuimui taha ‘oku hā ai ‘e a’u ki he ma’olunga taha ‘a e kau puke ‘i he komiunitī ki he tahamano toluafe ‘i he ‘aho ‘i he faka’osinga ‘o e mahina ni, ko e hiki hake ia mei he tahamano teau ‘i he ‘aho mei he fakafuofua koē ‘i he’ene ‘asi mai ko ia hono tu’o tolu.
‘Oku pehē ngalingali ka a’u ‘a e kau mate ki he toko uofulu mā ua [22] ‘i he ‘aho.
Ko e ta’au ‘o e lolotonga ni ‘oku faingata’a fau ke fakafuofua’i. ‘Oku kaunga ki ai ‘a e kalasi kehekehe ‘eni ia ‘e ono ‘o e Omicron – pea nau ‘ulungaanga kehekehe kotoa – ‘i he’enau fehulunaki ni, pea koe’uhi na’e ‘ikai ‘ilo ia kimu’a ‘e he me’a fai’anga fakafuofua ‘a ‘ene uesia ki he ivi malu’i.
Na’e pehē ‘e he potungāue, Ko e talu mei he kamata ko ia ‘o e ta’au ‘o e me’a ko ‘eni, ‘oku hā mei he tūkunga fakamatala fakamuimui taha kuo tuku mai, ‘oku ne fakafaingofua’i ke hā mahino ‘a e me’a ngāue fai’anga fakafuofua ha ‘ata mahino ange fakatefito ‘i he fakafuofua fekau’aki mo e lēvolo ma’olunga ‘o e mafola, fakavaivai’i e ivi malu’i pea liliu mo e ‘ulungaanga ‘o e kakai talu mei hono fakangaloku ‘o e fakataputapui.
Ka ‘oku kei ‘i ai pē ‘a e tu’unga ta’epau ‘aupito fekau’aki mo e me’a ‘e hoko ‘i he tūkunga ‘o ha fu’u toko lahi fakavalevale ‘a e kau puke.
Pehē ‘e he toko taha fai fakamatala, ” ‘oku fakaikiiki ‘e he fai’anga fakafuofua ko ‘eni ‘a e tu’unga ‘e hoko ‘i he kaha’u.” ” ‘Oku ala mapule’i pē ia pea ko e hala ia ke fou ai ‘a e taha kotoa ‘o kitautolu ‘i he teuteu ko ia ki he Kōviti – 19 pea ke hoko ‘a e māl1olo ko ‘eni ‘o malu ki he taha kotoa pē.”
Ko e ongo vaito’o malu’i ko ‘eni ‘o e vailasi, faito’o mo e huhu malu’i te na tokoni lahi ‘aupito ke fakasi’isi’i e Kōviti – 19 mo e kakai ‘e tākoto falemahaki.
Ko e tu’unga makehe [variant soup] ko ‘eni ‘o e vailasi ‘oku hoko ia ke faingata’a ‘aupito ai ke fai ha fakafuofua lelei ‘i he kamata atu ko ‘eni, ka ‘oku ‘i ai e taha ‘oku kamata ke hā mahino hake ia mei he toenga ‘o e nima ko ē.
Ko e B.A.2.75 ko e mahino taha ia ‘i he loklotonga ni, ko e peseti ‘e 39 mei ai pea peseti ‘e 58 mei he vai ‘oku ngāue faka’aho ‘aki.
Kuo fakalaka ia ‘i he BA.5 ‘a ia ko ē na’e l;ahi taha ‘i he māhina ‘e nima mo e konga kuo ‘osi pea ne a’u ‘a e kau puke ‘i ai ki he peseti ‘e 90.
Ko e peseti ‘eni ‘e 33 ‘oku nau puke ai, peseti ‘e 14 ‘i he BQ.1.1 PEA PESETI LEVA ‘E 5 ‘i he Omicron BA.2 mo e XBB 2.5.
Na’e pehē ‘e he potungāue ‘oku mafola vave ange ‘a e B.A.2.75 pea ‘e ala fakatu’utāmaki ange ia ki he ivi malu’i pea ‘e ala hoko ai ha puke lalahi.
Na’e pehē ‘e he tokoni taki ‘o e polokalama fakatotolo ki he mafola ko ē ‘a e mahaki ‘a e ‘Univēsiti ‘o ‘Aokalani, Dion O’Neale, ko e fakafuofua ko ē kuo tuku mai ‘e he potungāue na’e fakatefito ia mei ha fakafuofua na’e fu’u ma’olunga ki he mafola faka’aho ‘a e mahaki pea ‘ikai fakamatala ki he ola ‘o e lelei ‘o e faito’o ki he vailasi.
” ‘Oku tau fakatauange te tau ‘i he tafa’aki ma’olalo ange ‘o hangē ko e lipoti ko ia na’e toki tuku mai mei he Potungāue Mo’ui.
Kia Dion O’Neale, ‘oku lahi ange me’a ‘oku lau ‘i he ngāue totonu ‘oku fakahoko ‘i he fakafuofua tatau na’e fakahoko ‘i he ta’u ‘e taha kuo hili.
Ko e holo ko ia ‘a e huhu malu’i ‘i he’ene a’u mai ki he taimi ni, kuo toko lahi ange ai e kau toulekeleka kuo nau ma’u e vailasi, pea toe mālohi ange ‘a e natula fakaaoao ‘o e kalasi BA.2.7 ke mālohi ange ia ‘i he uesia kimu’a pea ‘oku tu’u fakatu’utāmaki ai ‘ene mafola.
Kae kehe, ‘oku faingata’a ke fai ha fakafuofua ki he tu’unga ko ‘eni ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e Omicron koe’uhi ko e kalasi kehekehe ‘eni ia ‘e onongofulu [60] ‘oku mafola holo, pea kehekehe honau fa’ahinga ‘ulungaanga ke ala mālohi ange ia ‘i he tūkunga malava ‘o e ivi malu’i lolotonga, pea ko e ki’i fakamatala si’isi’i pē ‘oku ma’u fekau’aki mo e ola ‘o e mafola ‘a e mahaki kimu’a he kae ‘oua ke fakahoko ‘a e savea fakafeitu’u.
” ‘Oku lahi ange me’a ‘oku lau ‘i he ngāue totonu ‘oku fakahoko ‘i he fakafuofua tatau na’e fakahoko ‘i he ta’u ‘e taha kuo hili.”
‘E malava ‘o hangē ko e ‘uluaki fakafuofua kimu’a ke ma’u ‘e he vailasi ‘a e toko taha mei he toko uofulu ‘i he uike kilisimasi pe ‘e toe ma’olunga ange, ka na’a ne pehē ‘oku kei tu’u fakatu’utāmaki pē ‘ene kaka ki ‘olunga.
Ko hono to’o ko ia ‘o e ngaahi tu’utu’uni ‘a e potungāue mo’ui ‘i Sepitema pea mo e liliu ko ia ‘a e tō’onga mo’ui ‘a e taautaha ‘i he taimi tatau na’e tupu ai ‘a e ‘alu ki ‘olunga ‘a e toko lahi ‘aki ‘a e peseti ‘e 20, na’a ne pehē, ko e to’o ko ia ‘a e ngaahi tu’utu’uni ‘a e potungāue mo’ui ka ‘oku kei toe lahi pē ‘a e ngaahi me’a ke fakahoko ‘e he kakai ke fakasi’isi’i ai ‘a hono ma’u ‘o e vailasi, hangē ko e tui e me’a malu’i mānava [mask] mo e sivi ke vakai’i na’a ‘oku ‘i ai ha faka’ilonga ‘o e mahaki. 

NZ Covid: 42,740 new cases, 64 deaths in past 7 days

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

There have been 42,740 new cases of Covid-19 and 64 deaths of people with the virus over the past week, the Ministry of Health has announced.

There were also a total of 581 people in hospital with the virus, including 15 in ICU.

Of the 64 people whose deaths were reporting today, three were from Northland, 19 were from the Auckland region, seven were from Waikato, two were from Bay of Plenty, four were from Lakes, four were from Hawke’s Bay, one was from Taranaki, five were from MidCentral, three were from Whanganui, two were from Wellington region, one was from Nelson Marlborough, 10 were from Canterbury and three were from Southern.

One was in their 30s, two were in their 40s, one was in their 50s, five were in their 60s, 12 were in their 70s, 28 were in their 80s and 15 were aged over 90. Of these people, 33 were women and 30 were men.

Today’s update comes as co-lead of the Network Contagion Modelling programme at Auckland University, Dion O’Neale, said many people who had “worked hard to avoid the virus” were now getting infected.

O’Neal said it was possible one in 20 people could have Covid-19 in the week of Christmas.

Health officials are also concerned a wave of Covid-19 during the holiday period could severely impact on already stretched staffing numbers in hospitals across the country.

LILIU FAKATONGA

Kuo ‘i ai ‘a e keisi fo’ou ‘o e Koviti’ ‘e 42, 740 mo ha mate ‘e toko 64 ‘i Nu’u Sila’ ni ‘i he uike kuo sītu’a’ fakatatau ki he Potungāue Mo’ui’.

Na’e ‘i ai mo e toko 581 ‘i fale mahaki ma’u ‘e he vailasi’ kau ai ‘a e toko 15 ‘i he ICU.

Ko e toko 64 ‘o e kau mate ko ‘eni ko e toko 64 mei Northland, 19 mei ‘Okalani, fitu mei  Waikato, ua mei he Bay of Plenty, pea fā mei Lakes, fā mei Hawke’s Bay, taha mei Taranaki, nima mei he  MidCentral, tolu mei Whanganui, pea ua mei he vāhenga Wellington, taha mei Nelson Marlborough, 10 mei Canterbury pea tolu mei he Southern.

Ko e toko taha ta’u 30 tupu, toko ua ta’u 40 tupu, taha na’e ta’u 50 tupu, nima ta’u 60, 12 ta’u 70 tupu, 28 ta’u 80 tupu, 15 ta’u 90. ‘I he kakai kotoa ko ‘eni ko e toko 33 ko e kakai fefine pea toko 30 ko e kakai tangata’.

Ko e hū mai ‘eni ‘a  hono talamuiaki ‘o e ongoongo’ ni he ‘aho’ ni hili ia ha pehē ‘e kaungā taki ‘o e polokalama Network Contagion Modelling ‘i he ‘Univēsiti ‘o ‘Okalani’. Dion O’Neale, kuo tokolahi ‘a e kakai ne nau ngāue mālohi ke ‘oua na’a ma’u kinautolu ‘e he vailasi’ kuo nau toe pihia ai.

Pehē ‘e O’Neal na’e malava ko e toko taha ‘i he kakai ‘e toko 20 kotoa pe ‘e ma’u kinautolu ‘e he Koviti 18 lolotonga ‘a e uike Kilisimasi’

Young head of a Tonga government department dies while holidaying in New Zealand

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tributes have been paid to a promising young senior Customs officer who has died while visiting New Zealand.

Vila Mafi

The cause of her death has yet to be made public.

Vila Mafi’s family around New Zealand and Tonga have expressed their shock and sadness at her death.

It is understood, she was named the head of Information Technology of Tonga’s Ministry of Customs.

She was also promoted to the post of a senior assistant deputy chief executive before she left for New Zealand. 

Many people have taken to social media to share their condolences.

Mafi’s colleagues have expressed their sadness over the news.

“She was absolutely loved and adored. A treasured daughter and mother, she will be deeply missed”, a commenter wrote on Facebook.

“We are all struggling to comes to terms with this.”

Another attack caught on video inside kava club

By
Kaniva Staff
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A Tongan man has been caught on camera punching another man repeatedly inside a fale kalapu (kava club).

According to sources, the incident occurred in New Zealand last night.

The motive for the attack was unknown.

Another man intervened and stopped the attack. It was unclear whether there were injuries.

The incident came after another video clip had been recently shared online.

In that video, an old man was beating a young man with an ukulele.

The ukulele was broken after the old man seemingly struck the young man’s head with it.

The victim later claimed on Facebook that he was injured after that attack.

You can follow this link to watch the video of the latest attack.

Commenters on Facebook said attacks in kava clubs are becoming increasingly common.

They said kava sessions were meant to be a place for entertainments and friendly chatting.

Some commenters applauded the victims for their patience and decision not to fight back.

They condemned the attackers’ actions saying older people should be more patience and lead by example for the youth.

Tongan seasonal worker community mourns loss of one of their own as Australia Worksafe investigates ‘workplace death’

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Tongan Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) community in Australia is in shock after the death of a Tongan employee in Perth.

Worksafe inspectors are investigating. Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian Worksafe inspectors arrive at the business

The incident had been described as gruesome (“fakalilifu) but no details were released.

A Tongan woman who oversees one of the Tongan SWP groups in Australia said in a livestreamed video this week that she was informed about the fatal incident.

Joanna Matangi thanked the church community in Perth for their assistance and supports.

The news came after WorkSafe Australia confirmed it has launched an investigation after a Katanning abattoir worker died after being trapped in machinery, the Australian media reported.

A WorkSafe spokeswoman reportedly said the fatal workplace death occurred at the WAMMCO International meatworks on Saturday 10.

The man died from injuries arising from entrapment in machinery, the spokeswoman said.

It said Worksafe arrived at the scene earlier this week.

The probe into what occurred is still in its early stages.

Court refuses to return passport to convicted ‘Etuate Lavulavu who wanted to travel abroad

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Supreme court has refused to return a passport to former MP ‘Etuate Lavulavu, who has been convicted of fraud, to allow him travel overseas.

Minister of Infrastructure ‘Akosita Lavulavu and husband ‘Etuate Lavulavu. Photo/Akosita Lavulavu (Facebook)

‘Etuate and his wife ‘Akosita Lavulavu, also a former MP and Cabinet Minister were convicted on three counts of obtaining money by false pretences.

They were found guilty of fraudulently obtaining money from the Ministry of Education and Training by lying in applications for money from the Technical Vocational Educational Training Grant about the number of students enrolled at their private college, the ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute.

The Lavulavus successfully appealed part of their sentences while they were at the Hu’atolitoli prison. However, the Court of Appeal said sufficient evidence had been presented at the original trial to have gained a conviction on a correct application of relevant legal principles. It granted the Lavulavus a retrial.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten has set the retrial date to May 8, 2023.

Mr Whitten also refused ‘Etuate’s request to return his items seized by the police.

“His request for a letter from the Court “officially declaring that his record is clear from the charges” is also refused”, Mr Whitten said.

“This Ruling shall stand as an official declaration as to the effects of the Court of Appeal’s orders for a retrial and Mr and Mrs Lavulavu’s current bail status”.

“However, as indicated during the hearing, I do regard it as important for the DPP to expeditiously decide whether to proceed with any retrial.

“The interests of justice, which include those of Mr and Mrs Lavulavu and their need for certainty, the Crown, any witnesses to be called and the community’s interest in the limited resources of the State and the Court being applied efficiently and effectively, will not be fostered and are in fact likely to be prejudiced, by any undue delay in proceeding with this matter one way or the other.

“Any connection between Mr Lavulavu’s recent complaints to the Tonga Law Society about the original trial and any decision whether to proceed with a retrial was not elucidated by Mrs Aleamotu’a during her submissions.

“For that reason, I direct that, by 30 November 2022, the OPP is to file a notice as to whether the Crown intends to proceed with a retrial.

“Further, if by that date, the Crown decides to proceed, the retrial will be listed to commence on 8 May 2023 and on an estimate of four weeks”.

Rapper who sings Si‘oto Loto and a Tongan Air NZ baggage handler caught in meth import attempt

By
Kaniva Staff
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A Tongan baggage handler has been sentenced to home detention for his role in a botched attempt to import nearly $8 million worth of methamphetamine during Auckland’s Covid-19 lockdown.

Romney Fukofuka who is also known by his stage name Konecs

George Taukolo previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to import methamphetamine and was sentenced earlier this month to 12 months of home detention at Manukau District Court. His two other co-accused, Daniel Ah Hong and Mark Castillo received the same sentence.

Taukolo’s sentence came after Tongan muso, Romney Fukofuka, who is also known by his stage name Konecs travelled back in May 2020 from the United States with 19.4kg of methamphetamine stashed in a suitcase.

Fukofuka lived a ‘gangster’ life and was an aspiring musician who released a number of music videos online. One of his most popular releases was the Tongan song Si’oto Loto which garnered more than 4 million viewers on YouTube.

Taukolo and his co-accused were supposed to collect the suitcase off a conveyor belt at Auckland Airport, and were told they would be paid NZ$20,000 for doing so.

While they said they didn’t know what was in the suitcase, they previously admitted that they believed it could be drugs.

Fukofuka sent a message during his return voyage, saying he had “made a mistake” and was carrying a bag with him on board the plane, rather than checking it in.

Later police seized the phones of the three men, as well as others involved in the importation, and the three men were arrested.

Fukofuka pleaded guilty in September to charges of importing nearly 20kg of methamphetamine from the US, attempting to import another 15kg and offering to supply the Class A drug.

He is on bail so he can complete a drug rehabilitation programme before the sentence hearing next year.

Lulutai Airlines accused of ‘poor services’, failure to refund cancelled flight passengers

By
Kaniva Staff
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Flight cancellations continue in Vava’u after Lulutai airlines had been accused of failing to refund or reapprove passengers whose flights had been cancelled.

Critics said the government’s funded sole domestic carrier is the poorest service ever in the kingdom.

The flight cancellation last Saturday came after the services were disrupted last month and a Fiji aircraft was hired to takeover.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said in Parliament the lack of pilots due to Covid’s impacts contributed to the disruptions.

He said one pilot only was available while the rest did not have any chance during the pandemic to renew their license.

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He said the pilots are only allowed to work according to certain number of hours and they could not exceed that.

He said that an ATR72 aircraft from Fiji was expected to fly the stranded passengers with three flights starting on November 30.   

The House was told some passengers checked in at the airport with their connecting flight tickets but were told their names were not on the passenger list.

MP Piveni Piukala said these passengers lost the money they paid for their tickets just because their original flight had been cancelled.

“Who is responsible for this”, he asked in Parliament.

He accused the Airlines of lack of flexibility and said it should have a clear policy in place for its flight changes and passenger refunds.  

Meanwhile, a lawyer and former MP Sunia Manu Fili said Lulutai airlines was the poorest service ever in the kingdom.

“Ko e maulalo taha eni he fakahoko fatongia ki he fepunaaki ko e kautaha lulutai, ikai ha poto pe taukei”, he said on Facebook in Tongan.

He accused the national airline of lacking experience and skills.

A prominent businesswoman who operates a number of guest houses in Vava’u and Tongatapu described the conditions of the poor services as “five steps forward and six backwards”

Yvette Guttenbeil Paea said: “Feel sorry for my guests coming all the way from USA to visit Vava’u .. cannot book their flight online and on arrival, cannot get a seat as there was no flight the other day to Vavau .. waited the next day at airport, still cannot get a seat. Such is the norm nowadays”.

Reported Covid-19 cases top 8000 today for first time in country’s third wave

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Oku ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

Daily Covid-19 numbers are the highest they have been for four and a half months, at 8428.

It is the first time the reported cases have breached 8000 in the country’s third wave.

The Ministry of Health said the virus was also increasing in wastewater and only about 44 percent of actual cases were being reported.

The wave would likely keep rising but a peak was difficult to predict because there were several variants in the community, and it was not known how much of a role previous infection was having on immunity, the ministry said.

The greater Wellington region had the highest rate of reported infection at 205 per 100,000 people, with Nelson Marlborough the lowest at 110.

Last week, there were 589 people hospitalised – a jump of 142 on the week before.

The number of people dying from, or with, the virus had declined slightly.

Death and hospitalisation rates tended to lag slightly behind the trend for community cases.

This week’s Covid Insights report from the ministry did not have an update on the variant mix, but the last reported figures showed BA.5, which had dominated for months, now made up fewer than half of all cases.

The rest were a mix of five other variants.

Tuesdays usually had the highest cases numbers of the week, because of a lag in weekend reporting.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Ko e toko valuafe fāngeau uofulu mā valu ‘a e toko lahi taha kuo a’u ki ai ‘a e toko lahi ‘o e Kōviti -19 ‘i he māhina ko ‘eni ‘e fā mo e konga.
Ko e fuofua taimi ia ke lipooti mai ‘i Nu’usila kuo a’u ‘a e toko lahi ‘o e kau puke ‘i he Kōviti ki he toko valuafe, ‘i he’ene toe liu mai ko ‘eni hono tolu.
Na’e pehē ‘e he Potungāue Mo’ui ‘oku toe ‘alu ki ‘olunga ‘a e vailasi ‘i he vai ko ē ‘oku fou mai mei he ngaahi toileti pea ko e peseti pē ‘e fāngofulu mā fā kuo fakahā ange.  
Na’e fakahā ‘e he potungāue, ‘oku matamata ke ‘a’alu pē ki ‘olunga ‘a e toko lahi ka ‘oku ‘ikai faingata’a ke tala ‘a e fika ‘e a’u ki ai koe’uhi kuo lahi ‘a e kalasi kehekehe ‘o e vailasi ‘i he komiunitī, pea ‘oku ‘ikai ‘ilo ai ‘a e lahi ‘o e ngaahi uesia kimu’a ‘i he komiunitī.
Ko e vāhenga lahi ko ia ‘o Uelingatoni ‘a e ma’olunga taha kuo lipooti mei ai ‘a e kau puke, ko e toko 205 mei he kakai ‘e toko tahakilu [100.000] pea ko Nelsoni Malapolo ‘a e ma’olalo taha ko e toko teau hongofulu.
Na’e tākoto falemahaki ‘a e toko nimangeau valungofulu mā hiva [589] ‘i he ike kuo ‘osi, ko e ‘alu hake ia ‘a e toko lahi ‘aki ‘a e toko teau fāngofulu mā ua.
‘Oku holo ai pē ki lalo ‘a e kakai ‘oku tu’u ‘i he tu’unga fakatu’utāmaki.
‘Oku holo pē ki lalo ‘a e tu’unga ko ia ‘o e kau mate mo e tākoto falemahaki ‘i he kau puke ko ‘eni ‘i he komiunitī.
‘Oku ‘ikai foki ke ma’u ‘e potungāue hano tala fakamuimui ‘o e tūkunga ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e kalasi kehekehe ‘o e vailasi, ‘i ha lau mahino mei he loto’i potungāue, ka ‘i he lau māhina ko e toko lahi na’e lipooti fakamuimui na’e hā ‘a e kei hoko ‘a e  B.A 5 tefito’i makatu’unga ia ‘o e puke.
‘Oku ‘i ai leva mo e ni’ihi ko epuke ia tupu mei he kalasi kehekehe.
Ko e ‘aho Tūsite na’e toko lahi taha ai ‘a e kau puke, koe’uhi he na’e holo ia ‘i he lipooti ‘o e faka’osinga ‘o e uike.

Car pulled from Tu’imatamoana wharf amid desperate Police search for missing man

By
Kaniva Staff
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A car had been pulled from the Tu’imatamoana wharf this morning amid a desperate police search for a missing man.

Police have yet to release any details.

The news came after the family of missing Tongatapu man Talanoa Leakona Lemoto hold grave fears for his safety after five days of anxious searching has failed to find him.

The 35-year-old teacher at Tonga College from Hala’ovave disappeared on Wednesday 7 and despite a number of promising leads, searchers have failed to track him down.

His wife, Malia Maketalena Pomana, said on Facebook the family are gravely concerned for his safety.

She said she was heart-breaking and couldn’t sleep well.

“I will never give up searching for you Noa no matter what”, she said in Tongan.

“It’s night now and you’re still not home. I keep calling your number eventhough it’s off, thinking it will eventually ring. Today it was a lot for all of us however, the outpour of prayers from everyone has gotten us through it”.

She said the family appreciate all the prayers and support from the public.

As Kaniva News reported last week, Lemoto was attending a school function before losing contact with his family members on Wednesday, December 7.

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