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Coronavirus: Tongans overseas urged to take advantage of tax-free before June 30

By
Kalino Latu
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The Ministry of Revenue and Customs said Tongans overseas have been offered an opportunity to send foodstuffs and personal consumer goods not for commercial purposes to Tonga without tax and duty.

The exemption which came into force on April 6 was put in place for two months amid Covid-19 crisis and will end on 30 June 2020.

The Ministry’s CEO Kelemete Vahe said he understood most overseas countries were on lockdown but for those who could have a chance to send goods to Tonga this was an opportunity for them.

The revelation was made during a press conference on Thursday last week in which the government announced an economic and social stimulus package worth TOP$60 million to help the country through the impacts of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The announcement came after the Minister of Finance told constituency meetings in Tongatapu last month work was underway to extend tax and duty free on building materials until December.

Tonga to use rapid new viral coronavirus test machines

By
Kalino Latu
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Laboratory machines worth TOP$137,000 which were used in New Zealand and the UK  to test whether a patient has contracted the coronavirus were expected to start arriving in Tonga tomorrow April 8, the Ministry of Health said. 

But the machines could not be used until later this month when the PCR testing machine from the UK was expected to arrive in New Zealand on April 17 before it was transported to Tonga, Dr ‘Ana ‘Akau’ola, was quoted in a statement as saying.  

Known as Polymerase Chain Reaction testing or PCR, the machines can be used for detecting coronavirus and other complicated viral diseases.

Reports said these machines would help ramp up the testing process by analysing 1,000 samples, if run for 12 hours continuously and 2000 samples in 24 hours.

Dr ‘Akau’ola said the TOP$90,000 machine from New Zealand could analyse 96 samples, probably within an hour while the TOP$47,000 machine from the UK analyses 17 samples.

She said lab professionals in Australia offered to help in setting up the machines and providing assistance.

Tonga is one of 18 countries in the world that is CoViD-19 free after the Minister of Health announced yesterday the latest group of five people to be quarantined on suspicion of having Covid-19 had been cleared and released.

Despite this the government has put the kingdom on lockdown, curfew and in a state of emergency in a bid to stop the introduction or spread of the coronavirus disease.  

Monster Cyclone Harold wreaks havoc in Vanuatu, Tonga may be next

By
Kaniva Staff
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This article originally appeared on Weather Watch New Zealand website.

Updated Tues AM: Cyclone Harold remains Category 5 and last night made a second landfall in Vanuatu. Now Tonga may now also be directly impacted later this week.

The tropical storm made landfall on Monday afternoon on the island of Santo. Shortly after WeatherWatch.co.nz said a second landfall was possible later, because Vanuatu is made up of many islands not one single land mass.

The second landfall was around 8 to 9pm NZT (7 – 8pm Vanuatu time) Monday on Pentecost Island.

Unfortunately, this historic storm still remains Category 5 this morning as it slowly pulls away from Vanuatu and back into open waters. The island chain of Vanuatu was not big enough to weaken the powerful tropical cyclone.

Damage is likely to be significant on both islands where landfall occurred and unconfirmed reports says there has been complete devastation in the affected areas.

One positive is that Cyclone Harold is likely to depart quite fast today out to the east to south east, it will then track towards Fiji but the centre will remain well offshore from Nadi and Suva, tracking further to the south.

TONGA & FIJI
Those in Tonga should now be preparing for a possible Severe Tropical Cyclone later this week with latest tracking suggesting HAROLD could impact the nation directly, or very close by. However this far out it cannot be locked in.

People on islands south of Suva and Nadi, along with the nation of Tonga should be closely monitoring Cyclone Harold this week.

All our updates on Cyclone Harold can be found here: www.WeatherWatch.co.nz/category/TROPICS

8PM MONDAY NZT Infrared Satellite (Himawari) showing the eye of Cyclone Harold (Cat 5) making a second landfall, on the island of Pentacost.

Expired bags of flour seized in Neiafu after complaints, Town Officer says

By
Kalino Latu
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Law enforcement officers in Vava’u have seized about 100 bags of expired flour from a number of Chinese owned retailed stores in Neiafu this morning, the town officer of Neiafu Vāvā Lapota told Kaniva news.

He said the seizure was made following complaints from customers after they allegedly found the flour had been infected by insects.

Lapota previously told us bags of expired flours and rotting salted beefs were previously seized and destroyed.

Authorities concerned could not be reached for comment.

The seizure came after authorities confiscated and destroyed around 400 boxes of rotting chicken in Vava’u after an inspection of a refrigerated container at a Chinese shop in Neiafu last month.

In that incident, Lapota, said inspectors from MAFF have found the chicken to be unfit for consumption and were destroyed.

Lapota said the inspection came after complaints from customers.

He said they believed the owner of the container intermittently turned off the electricity in an attempt to save power but since the container was 40 ft long  this could not help kept the meat frozen from time to time.

Thousands of NY COVID patients are being treated with anti-malarial drug

By
Kaniva Staff
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This story appeared on New Your Post.

As many as 4,000 seriously ill coronavirus patients in New York are being treated with the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, state health officials say.

President Trump has touted hydroxychloroquine as a potential life-saver, although there is no widespread scientific evidence to date showing it helps battle COVID-19.

But Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month said healthcare providers in the state would be using the drug in combination with the antibiotic Zithromax, or azithromycin, for some last-ditch cases, based on potentially promising research.

“Time is of the essence,’’ said Albany University Public Health Dean David Holtgrave, who is on the state’s research team, in a statement.

A state Health Department official said the DOH has shipped doses of hydroxychloroquine to 56 hospitals across New York, distributing enough “to treat 4,000 patients to date.”

Patients have received doses as part of four- or 10-day regimens, officials said.

The University of Albany’s School of Public Health is observing the drug’s impact on the patients, and its preliminary study could come back in weeks instead of the usual months, officials said.

There are also clinical trials being conducted to see whether the drug can help block transmission.

NYU Langone Medical School is conducting a random trial with a $9.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“Currently, there is no proven way to prevent COVID-19 after being exposed,” said Anna Bershteyn, an assistant professor with the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone and the study’s co-principal investigator.

“If hydroxychloroquine provides protection, then it could be an essential tool for fighting this pandemic. If it doesn’t, then people should avoid unnecessary risks from taking the drug.”

The RX has long been used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

Its potential side effects include everything from fatal heart arrhythmia to vision loss, ear-ringing, vomiting, mood changes, skin rashes and hair loss.

Health officials are treading cautiously, saying they don’t anticipate hydroxychloroquine will be a “miracle drug” against the coronavirus — but the studies are worth the gamble.

In terms of the NYU clinical trial regarding prevention, researchers are enrolling 2,000 adult volunteers at six sites.

They are recruiting people who lack any COVID-19 symptoms but have been in close contact with others who have a confirmed or pending diagnosis.

On a random basis, the trial participants will receive either hydroxychloroquine or a placebo pill — vitamin C — every day for two weeks.

Each day during the 14-day period and then again on Day 28, the participants will swab their nasal passages and send the samples to researchers to detect potential COVID-19 infection.

“If everything goes as planned, the eight-week trial could provide answers by summer on whether a preventive dose of the drug is safe and effective,’’ NYU Langone said in a release.

Dr. Fauci says it’s likely coronavirus will become ‘seasonal’

“If so, the strategy could give health officials a much needed boost in slowing person-to-person transmission.”

The federal Food and Drug Administration granted emergency-use authorization to use hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients amid the pandemic.

There has been anecdotal evidence — including from China — that the drug help patients clear the virus sooner.

But Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, asked recently whether the drug was considered a treatment for the novel coronavirus, said, “The answer is no … The evidence that you’re talking about … is anecdotal evidence.”

Meanwhile, Northwell Health facilities — including Lenox Hill, Long Island Jewish and Staten Island University hospitals — and Maimonides Medical Center are giving moderately to seriously ill coronavirus patients certain antiviral drugs such as Sarilumab, an IL-6 inhibitor, and Remdesivir, a drug that incorporates itself into the genome.

Northwell has recruited 143 patients for a Sarilumab trial.

Mount Sinai’s-Icahn School of Medicine also is one of 34 institutions nationwide participating in the National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project. The program seeks blood-plasma donations from recovered coronavirus patients that contain antibodies that can be used to fight the virus in seriously ill patients.

Tonga remains virus free as latest suspects test negative and aircraft ban comes into effect

By
Philip Cass
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The latest group of five people to be quarantined on suspicion of having Covid-19 had been cleared and released.

The Minister of Health, Associate Professor ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu, told a press conference this morning this meant Tonga remained Covid-19 free.

She said 400 passengers traveled from Fiji and New Zealand between March 19 – 21 at a time when passengers from these countries did not have to be isolated once they arrived in Tonga.

These people were later traced and checked by the Ministry to make sure they did not have the Covid-19’s symptoms.

The last report from the Ministry showed 400 people had been checked and 396 people were not sick.

The Ministry of Health has launched an official Facebook page with information about the virus translated into Tongan.

Aircraft

The  Ministry of Health has ordered a number of regular air services to be diverted from the kingdom.

The order applies to Fiji Airways  flight FJ211 scheduled to arrive between April 5-18.

Air New Zealand flight NZ270 scheduled for the same period is also affected by the order.

A diversion order has also been placed on Talofa Airlines flight TA407 for the same period.

Chief Executive Officer for Health, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, said the flights had to be diverted to stop the introduction, or spread, of the coronavirus disease.

WHO

Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has warned that If countries rush to lift restrictions too quickly the virus could return.

This would make the economic impact even more serious and longer lasting.

“Financing the health response is therefore an essential investment not just in saving lives but in the longer-term social and economic recovery,” Dr Ghebreyesus said.

“We we call on all countries to remove financial barriers to care.

“If people delay or forgo care because they can’t afford it they not only harm themselves, they make the pandemic harder to control and put society at risk.

“Several countries are suspending user fees and providing free testing and care for COVID-19 regardless of a person’s insurance, citizenship or residence status.”

The main points

The latest group of five people to be quarantined on suspicion of having Covid-19 had been cleared and released.

This meant Tonga remained Covid-19 free.

For more information

COVID-19 virtual press conference – 3 April, 2020

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/covid-19-virtual-press-conference-transcript-3-april-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=43e2f2f3_6

Covid-19 update: 67 new cases in NZ in past 24 hours

By
Kaniva Staff
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This article is published with permission under Kaniva News partnerships with Radio New Zealand.

There are 39 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 28 new probable cases in New Zealand, bringing the country to a total of 1106, the Health Ministry has confirmed.

Watch the media conference here:

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said 13 people were in hospital, and three were in ICU – one in Wellington and two in Auckland. One of the people in ICU is in a critical condition.

“Two people have been discharged from hospital since our update yesterday and recovering at home,” he said.

There have been no additional deaths and 176 people have now recovered from the coronavirus.

He said New Zealand could be encouraged by daily case numbers staying at a similar level, but health authorities were still looking for a drop.

“Some success so far, but our aim is to stamp it out,” Dr Bloomfield said.

Just under 40,000 tests have been carried out so far. There were 3709 tests completed yesterday, the highest number of tests in one single day.

Dr Bloomfield said there were now 12 significant clusters, with 72 cases now linked to the Marist College cluster. The cluster associated with a wedding in Bluff has now had 62 cases, and the Matamata cluster has 58.

He confirmed the new Christchurch cluster was based at Rose Wood rest home, with 15 confirmed and probable cases amongst residents and staff.

Twenty residents are being moved to Burwood hospital for further care.

“They have put a DHB person into the rest home to supervise the care of the remaining 40 residents, to make sure appropriate infection prevention control – including appropriate use of PPE – is happening there to look after and care for those remaining residents,” Dr Bloomfield said.

Forty-three percent of total cases are travel-related, 38 percent had contact with a confirmed case and 2 percent are considered community transmission. The rest are still under investigation.

Auckland Metro, Waikato and Southern are the areas with the highest number of cases under investigation.

  • If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs)

Watch: Covid-19 restrictions mean only a handful of mourners able to attend grandmother’s funeral

By
Philip Cass
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The hard reality of saying goodbye to a loved one during the Covid-19 pandemic has come home to a Tongan family this week.

Grandmother Senolita was buried by members of her family, who posted a video  of the burial on Facebook.

Only four people were allowed to attend.

Grieving family members prayed and sang hymns during the burial.

According to Ministry of Health regulations updated on April 2, public funeral services are not permitted and families or communities must not carry out funerals.

This is to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

However, family who have been in the same isolation bubble as the dead person may go to the cemetery or crematorium for the burial.

Funeral directors are encouraged to carry out burials and cremations as quickly as possible.

Where this is not possible, the funeral can be held after the Alert Level 4 restrictions ease.

The dead can be cremated  and the ashes buried at a later date and memorial services can also be delayed.

There will be an opportunity for family who have been in the same isolation bubble as the deceased to go to the funeral home to view the body.

Viewing of bodies must only take place in a funeral home managed by a funeral director registered with their local authority.

The main points

  • The hard reality of burials carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic has come home to a Tongan family this week.
  • Grandmother Hulita Senolita Niumeitolu was buried by members of her family, who posted a video  of the burial on Facebook.

For more information

Funeral video

Posted by Maki Pooi on Thursday, April 2, 2020

COVID-19: Funerals and tangihanga

Tongan players touted for proposed State of Origin series to be played in empty stadium

By
Philip Cass
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Tongan player Jason Taumalolo has been  touted as a possible starter for a Queensland side in a series of state of origin matches, even while the Covid-19 pandemic is raging.

The matches would be played with no fans present.

The Skilled Stadium on the Gold Coast has been named as a possible venue for a three match series.

New South Wales coach Brad Fittler has pushed the idea of a series of State of Origin games to start the rugby and has named Taumalolo as a possible member of the Maroons.

Other players Fittler has tentatively names include Andrew Fifita, Will Hopoate and Siosiua Taukeiaho.

A test by the Tongans against New Zealand that was scheduled for June 20 this year has been cancelled because of the pandemic.

Rugby League officials have postponing the mid-season Oceania Cup fixtures, which also featured  Samoa and the Cook Islands

However, Oceania Tests are still scheduled for October.

New Zealand is in strict lockdown and with international travel almost a standstill. Flights in and out of Tonga are virtually nonexistent.

Despite the obstacles, Fittler is enthusiastic about the idea.

“I’ve spoken to some of the players about it and they’re already pumped,” the NSW coach told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The Origin series would be a good way of kicking things off, to show everyone that rugby league can lock down two teams for an extended period. And if that works, it could be a precursor to the rest of the NRL starting at some stage.”

The players

Taumalolo plays for the North Queensland Cowboys but in the past three years has been instrumental in taking Mate Ma’a Tonga onto the international stage.

Fifita, who has had an often tumultuous career, led the sipi tau, in front of a sold-out crowd at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium before their match against the Kangaroos in 2018.

In 2017 Hopoate played for Tonga in every game of their assault on the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals and scored a try during their win over New Zealand.

On 2 November 2019, Taukeiaho captained Tonga’s 16-12 defeat of Australia.

The main points

  • Tongan player Jason Taumalolo has been  touted as a possible starter for a Queensland side in a series of state of origin matches, even while the Covid-19 pandemic is raging.
  • New South Wales coach Brad Fittler has touted the idea of a series of State of Origin games to start the rugby and has named Taumalolo as a possible member of the Maroons.

For more information

Fittler backs Origin to restart season – and Taumalolo for Queensland

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/fittler-backs-origin-to-restart-season-and-taumalolo-for-queensland-20200403-p54gwc.htm

Test matches postponed due to coronavirus

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/03/20/tests-matches-cancelled-due-to-coronavirus/

Supreme Court rejects appeal by Minister of Justice over charges of threatening police

By
Philip Cass
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The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the Minister of Justice Vuna Fā’otusia against charges of using threatening language to a government servant.

The charge arose out of an incident on January 12 2019, during a police investigation concerning a stolen cow.

The Minister is alleged to have telephoned the police officers involved and said:

“Why did you take Faioso’s cow? And stop working like a tough guy before I shoot the shit out of a Police and had Faioso found you all of his farm, he  would have shot the shit out of you. “

The Appellant was subsequently charged with having breached sections 57 and 65 of the Criminal Offences Act.

Section 57 says: “Every person who uses threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour towards any officer in the service of the Government shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for any period not exceeding 2 years, or to a fine not exceeding $5,000, or to both such fine and imprisonment.”

At the preliminary enquiry of the charges on October 22 last year counsel for the Minister made no case submissions in respect of both charges.

Principal Magistrate Mafi rejected the submission in respect of S.57 but upheld the submission in respect of S.65 and ruled that there was insufficient evidence for that charge to be referred to the Supreme Court.

Both decisions have been appealed. This proceeding concerns the decision in respect of S.57.

The defendant argued that, the Prosecution described its understanding of the Defendant’s submissions as being, relevantly, that S.57 did not apply to the Defendant as a Cabinet Minister or anyone in the service of the Government.

An argument was also presented that the law did not apply to police.

Lord Chief Justice Whitten, presiding, rejected this argument.

“It is evident that Parliament intended  . . . severe consequences for those who engage in threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour towards officers when in the service of the Government,” the judge said.

“That important and express distinction from ordinary citizens in society cannot be overlooked and effect to it must be given.

“In my view, S.57 was deliberately designed by Parliament to respond to the language allegedly used in this case directed to the police officers concerned.”

“The appeal is dismissed.”

The main points

  • The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the Minister of Justice Vuna Fa’otusia against charges of using threatening language to a government servant.
  • The charge arose out of an incident on January 12 2019, during a police investigation concerning a stolen cow.
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