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Fanongonongo ki he Ngaahi Mātu‘a ‘o e ‘Apiako Sutton Park, Aokalani, NZ

By
Kaniva Staff
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‘Aho 9 ‘Epeleli 2020

Ngaahi Mātu’a ‘o e ‘Apiako Sutton Park

‘Oku ou ‘amanaki pē ‘oku mou mo’ui lelei pea tokamālie ‘a e ngaahi fatongia mei ‘api na.  Koe ngaahi me’a ‘eni ‘oku toe tānaki atu ki he fanongongo koia na’e ‘osi fakahā atu ki mu’a.

Ko e uike faka’osi ‘eni ‘o e tutukú pea ‘e kamata ‘a e teemi hono 2 ‘i he ‘osi ‘a e ngaahi ‘aho mālōlō ‘o e Pekia.  Ka neongo ia foki, ‘oku kei hokohoko atu pē ‘a e ngaahi fakataputapuí.

Koia ai, koe ako ‘etau fānau ‘e kei hokohoko atu pē ia ‘i he ‘onilaini (on-line).  ‘Oku lolotonga ngāue ‘a e Potungāue Ako mo ‘ene kau ngāue ki hono fokotu’utu’u ‘a e ngaahi founga ‘e lava ke tokoni ki he ako ‘onilaini ‘ae fānaú.

‘Oku ou fakamālō atu kiate kimoutolu kotoa pē ne mou kau mai ki he savea na’e ‘oatu ke fakapapau’i ai ‘a e ngaahi famili ‘oku lava ke ngaue’aki ‘e he fānau ‘a e ‘initaneti ki he ‘enau ako mei ‘apí.

Ko e ngaahi fāmili ko ia ‘oku ‘iai ‘ae ‘initaneti, ‘oku lahi ‘ae ngaahi ngāue fakaako ‘e ma’u atu mei he website moe facebook ‘a e ‘apiako pē.

Ko e ngaahi fāmili ko ia ‘oku ‘ikai ha ‘initanetí, ko e faingamālie lelei ‘eni ke mou ako’i ai ‘ae fānau ke nau lava lelei ke ngāue’aki ‘etau lea faka-Tonga.  ‘I he kamata ‘o e teemi hokó, ‘e ako ‘a e fānau ki he ‘Mo’ui lelei’, ko ia ai kātaki ‘o ngāue’aki ‘a e ngaahi faingamālie kotoa pē ke tokoni ki he ‘etau fānau, ke fakalahi ‘enau ‘ilo ki he ngaahi founga ‘o e faka’ehi’ehi mei he mahaki Covid19. ‘Oku mahu’inga foki ke nau ‘ilo koe fakakātoa ‘o e Mo’uilelei ko e mo’ui lelei honau ‘atamai, mo’ui fakasōsiale moe mo’ui fakaēloto, pea mo e mo’ui fakalaumālie.

‘E ‘iai ‘a e polokalama ako ma’ae fānau ‘e toki fakahoko mai ‘i he televīsoné.

‘Oku ou faka’amu ke mou tokanga ’o talangofua ki he ngaahi fakahinohino mo e fale’i mei he Potungāue Mo’ui moe Pule’anga, ko e ‘uhi ke mou hao ai mei he mahaki Covid19.  ‘Oku ou ‘amanaki ‘e vave ni pē ha tau toe fakatahataha mai koe fāmili ‘o e ‘Apiako Sātoni Paaka.

‘Okapau ‘oku ke toe fiema’u ha fakaikiiki pē ha tokoni,pe a Kātaki ‘o fetu’utaki mai ki he tu’asila  principal@suttonpark.school.nz pe tuku mai ha fekau ‘i he telefoni 021-250-6684   Fakatauange pē ke mou hao mo malu mo homou ngaahi fāmili kotoa ‘i he ‘aofinima’ofá ‘o e ‘Otuá.

‘Ofa lahi atu moe hūfaki,

Fa’atili Iosua Esera

Pulea’oga

Number of new cases of Covid-19 in NZ plummets to 29

By
Kaniva Staff
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New Zealand has recorded just 29 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, but the prime minister says a decision on changing the alert level will only be made two days before the lockdown ends.

It is the fourth day in a row there has been a day-on-day drop.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there are 23 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and six probable cases in New Zealand today. That brings the total number of cases to 1239.

Watch the media conference here:

Number of new cases of Covid-19 in NZ plummets to 29

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New Zealand has recorded just 29 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, but the prime minister says a decision on changing the alert level will only be made two days before the lockdown ends.

It is the fourth day in a row there has been a day-on-day drop.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there are 23 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 and six probable cases in New Zealand today. That brings the total number of cases to 1239.

Watch the media conference here:

There have been no additional deaths, but 14 people are in hospital, with four in ICU at North Shore, Middlemore and Dunedin hospitals.

Dr Bloomfield said 317 people have now recovered from the coronavirus, with 35 recovering in the past day.

He said 41 percent of cases are travel-related, 44 are related to close contacts and 2 percent are community transmission. Thirteen percent are still under investigation.

There are still 12 clusters, the three largest are the wedding in Bluff with 87 cases, Marist College with 84 and Matamata with 66.

“Our ability to contain those clusters has been greatly enhanced because we are in the alert level 4 lockdown situation, so we are confident now that we are on top of those clusters and that any additional cases are largely within the bubbles within each of those clusters.”

The daily numbers of new cases of Covid-19 have been slowly dropping this week. There were 50 new probable and confirmed cases reported yesterday, with 54 on Tuesday and 67 on Monday.

Dr Bloomfield said he expected case numbers to stay low, with a few bumps up and down.

Despite the drop in new cases, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made it clear the lockdown will not end before the four-week period is up.

She said any decision on changing the country’s alert level will be made on 20 April, two days before the four-week lockdown ends.

She said this meant businesses will have two days to prepare for any move into alert level 3.

But Ardern said the country’s response to the lockdown over the past two weeks had been “huge”.

“In the face of the greatest threat to human health that we have faced in over a century, Kiwis have quietly and collectively implemented a nationwide wall of defence.

“You are breaking the chain of transmission and you did it for each other,” she said.

Ardern said initial modelling showed New Zealand was on a similar trajectory to Italy and Spain, but current modelling showed the lockdown measures were working.

“As we head into Easter, I say thank you to you and your bubble,” Ardern said.

Doctors’ criticisms against gov’t allocation of TP$60 million coronavirus stimulus package “ill-advised, untrue and confused,” says PM Tu‘i‘onetoa

By
Kalino Latu
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Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa has rejected claims the government was not properly preparing for a potential arrival of the deadly coronavirus.

Some Vaiola hospital doctors claimed the government’s allocation of its TP$60million Economic and Social Stimulus Package announced last week to combat Covid-19 crisis “was not very smart.”

Prime MInister Dr Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa. Photo/Kalino Lātū (Kaniva News)

The claims on Matangi Tonga Online said the doctors, who spoke to the webpage under condition of anonymity, alleged the Tu’i’onetoa “government has gone completely off-track when it should be throwing all resources to prepare for a flood of patients.’

The doctors reportedly said: “They have no doubt that when Covid-19 hits Tonga, the Ministry of Health will need thousands of beds.”

The doctors said it was “most urgent for Tonga to get our health facilities in better shape to try and cope with  Covid-19 when it reaches Tonga.”

“Because it will get here, sooner or later.”

READ MORE:

They criticised the decision by the government to use the hospital at Mu’a as an isolation facility ,saying it was “unsuitable because it was small and is very far away from Vaiola and the specialist radiology facility and laboratory.”

The doctors suggested using buildings at Tonga National Centre, which is situated across the road from Vaiola Hospital and is currently occupied by the Legislative Assembly.

PM Tu’i’onetoa’s response

Hon Tu’i’onetoa told Kaniva News the doctors’ claims were heedless, untrue and ill-advised. He said the doctors were utterly confused about the allocation of the package.

He said the funding package was correctly allocated according to proposals and recommendations submitted by nine government committees which determined what should be regarded as urgent needs for Tonga at this stage of the pandemic.

The Prime Minister said there was an allocation for the Ministry of Health’s urgent needs and if they needed more at any time that would be a top priority and must be provided.

“Because of that the claims by the doctors were untrue,” the Prime Minister said.

He said it was unfortunate these doctors were not being identified in the article so they could explain the government’s procedures. The Matangi Tonga online did not seek the government’s side of the story.

He said these doctors wanted to build a new hospital that could house thousands of beds in preparation for the Covid-19 once it arrived, but at this stage the government did not believe that should be first priority.

Government’s priority

The government’s priority was to stop the disease from entering Tonga, Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said.

He said that was the government’s main focus at this stage.

He said this was not a stage for the government to prepare to welcome the Covid-19 and prepare a place for it no matter what.    

This was the basis for the allocation of the social and economic stimulus package, he said.  

The Prime Minister said the government did not believe in what other countries had done. They waited and after their people contracted the disease they moved to impose controlling measures.

“The government believed it should put preventive measures in place first and in timely manner and way ahead to block any chance for the Covid-19 to come in,” Hon. Tu’i’onetoa said.

He said the doctors were free to express their opinion and that was their constitutional right, but the government did not agree with them because many countries had followed those ideas and the outcome backfired on them.   

Enough facilities and equipment

The Prime Minister said the Tonga National Centre could not be used as an isolation facility because it was being used as temporally Parliament.

“The government’s first priority was to make sure the people are safe, sound and healthy and protected from Covid-19,” he said.

He said if the government agreed with what the doctors claimed the people of Tonga would have already been infected and many would be dead.

The Prime Minister said the facilities the government had prepared and medical equipment it had purchased amid Coivid-19 crisis were sufficient at this stage.

He said the situation was being handled wisely to make sure Tonga did not lose its emphasis on what should be done first.

Border control measures

The Prime Minister said Covid-19 could only come into Tonga through the airports and the wharves.

“It cannot come into Tonga by itself,” he said.

“This was why the government was strict in controlling its borders and banning  Tongan-bound international flights to make sure no passengers can arrive in Tonga from overseas.”

The Prime Minister said all countries dealt with the disease differently and for Tonga it relied pretty much on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.   

He said Tonga observed a national fast last week which would continue on every weekend after the Easter break.

The main points

  • Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa has rejected claims the government was not properly preparing for a potential arrival of the deadly coronavirus.
  • Some Vaiola hospital doctors claimed the government’s allocation of its TP$60million Economic and Social Stimulus Package announced last week to combat Covid-19 crisis “was not very smart.”

Tonga braces for possible direct hit by Tropical Cyclone Harold tomorrow morning Thursday 9

By
Kalino Latu
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Warnings are being issued in Tonga with fears the kingdom is in line to be directly hit by Tropical Cyclone Harold.

“Harold could make a direct hit as a “Severe” cyclone – Category 3 or 4. However modelling suggests, like Fiji, the Tropical Cyclone will pass just to the south of the island – limiting damage,” Weather Watch New Zealand reports.

Acting Deputy Police Commissioner ‘Atunaisa Taumoepeau said Cyclone Harold could make landfall in Tonga at 7am.

Boat owners and fishers were being urged to stay away from waters and Taumopeau reminded the public about the Mormon Church evacuation centres saying they have been made available to those who wanted them.

Tonga Met Services reported the cyclone at 6pm this evening on its tropical cyclone advisory number nine saying a hurricane force wind warning remains in force for Tongatapu and ‘Eua land areas and coastal waters.

It described Harold as tropical cyclone Catefory 4.

A gale wind warning remains in force for Ha’apai, Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau land areas and coastal waters.

A strong wind warning remains in force for the Niuas and Vava’u land areas and coastal waters.

A heavy rain warning and flash flood advisory remains in force for all of Tonga.

A small craft advisory remains in force for all of Tonga coastal waters.

A heavy damaging swell remains in force for Vava’u, Ha’apai, Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Tele-ki-Tonga and Tele-ki-Tokelau coastal waters.

An extreme high tide is now in force for all of Tonga coastal waters for tomorrow and Friday.

This afternoon at 3pm the Weather Watch New Zealand reported Tropical Cyclone Harold remains a powerful Severe Category 4 storm as it begins to slowly move off from Fiji.

It said the centre of the storm crossed over Fiji’s Kadavu Island early this afternoon but didn’t cross over the main island of Viti Levu, sparing Nadi and Suva from the worst part of the storm.

Significant storm surge is expected to have caused – and still be causing – widespread damage along parts of Fiji’s western and southern coastlines.

Kadavu Island and surrounds are in a well known ‘cyclone path’ and are prepared for events like this, however the power of Harold is strong enough to cause significant damage there along with catastrophic coastal flooding in vulnerable areas.

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
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