The islands of Kiribati and Samoa entered lockdown today after a surge in infections from Covid due to arrivals from abroad that interrupted two years almost free from the pandemic.
As of earlier this month, Kiribati had not reported a single case of Covid, while Samoa had only recorded two since the start of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization.
Now the authorities of both countries have been forced to implement a series of restrictive measures after dozens of passengers on a flight to Kiribati from Fiji, the first to arrive in the country since the reopening of the borders, tested positive for the virus. And in Samoa, restrictions began after cases linked to a repatriation flight from Brisbane rose to 15, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said.
The restrictions will increase starting tomorrow and all those infected, believed to be affected by the Omicron variant, have been quarantined, he added. The capital of Kiribati, which is home to nearly half of the country's 120,000 inhabitants, will be subjected to restrictions after registering its first cases among the inhabitants.
The measures entered into force require residents to stay indoors except to get food or health care.
It is unclear how long the lockdown will last, but a previous announcement speculated until next Thursday.
According to WHO data, around 62% of Samoa's population is fully vaccinated, while around 34% of Kiribati's population is double vaccinated.