The country has the first community Covid-19 case after 2 years of the pandemic

Earlier, a woman who was about to leave Samoa tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

So far, health authorities have found only one case of infection Covid-19. But this is the first time Samoa has detected an unexplained case in the community. Authorities fear the possibility that an outbreak has gone on quietly for days or even weeks.

A Samoan government report showed the woman went to a church, hospital, shop, library and a travel agency after feeling ill last week.

Samoa begins social distancing from March 19

Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, announced that the woman infected with Covid-19 had been isolated. Authorities also traced the patient’s activities.

The leader said that officials want to do all they can to prevent Covid-19 from spreading quickly.

In the past, Samoa has received an immigrant by air who tested positive while in quarantine. However, there have been no outbreaks since then.

Samoa and several neighboring island nations in the Pacific are the last places on Earth to avoid the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But the more contagious Omicron variant changed all that. Each island nation must submit to Covid-19.

Since the beginning of the year, Kiribati, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Cook Islands have all experienced the first Covid-19 outbreaks.

John Fala, who runs a company in Samoa, thinks the island nation cannot avoid Covid-19. “We had two years to prepare. Now finally Covid-19 is here. Of course, there will be a bit of confusion,” said Fala.

From March 19, all schools, shops will be closed, public gatherings will be banned, only essential services will be maintained. People are required to wear masks and use vaccination cards.

Fala shared, his company is considered an essential service. Even so, he still has to be busy applying new rules to stay afloat.

The social distancing is expected to be until March 22, but Fala thinks this period will be extended.

As a father of three young children, Fala said his biggest concern is that unvaccinated children will contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The country of 200,000 people has high vaccination coverage among adults but only started vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 last week.

About 65% of Samoa’s population has received at least two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Nauru are the few remaining Pacific island regions that have still avoided the Omicron outbreak.

An Yen (According to AP)