Island Nation of Tonga Reports First Covid-19 Case of Entire Pandemic

Tonga, an island nation roughly 3,100 miles southwest of Hawaii, reported its first case of covid-19 for the reason that pandemic started, in response to New Zealand’s Stuff information outlet. The covid-positive individual arrived on a flight from New Zealand and is reportedly in resort quarantine, hopefully guaranteeing the illness doesn’t unfold all through the neighborhood.

Tonga’s Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa introduced the covid-19 case on Friday and defined the unnamed individual had arrived on a flight from Christchurch, New Zealand on Wednesday with 215 folks.

Tonga, very similar to different international locations within the South Pacific, together with Australia and New Zealand, requires that individuals arriving internationally quarantine in resorts earlier than they’ll journey freely inside the nation. In this case, that requirement has possible saved Tonga from widespread illness. The individual arriving from New Zealand examined optimistic on Thursday whereas in quarantine on the Tanoa International Hotel.

New Zealand’s Ministry of Health advised Stuff that the one that examined optimistic on Thursday had examined adverse earlier than they departed from Christchurch. The unnamed individual was additionally totally vaccinated with Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine and obtained their second dose about two weeks in the past. The case is actively below investigation, in response to Stuff.

The covid-19 vaccination price in Tonga is simply 31.7%, which is way greater than some South Pacific neighbors like Papua New Guinea which has vaccinated lower than 2% of its inhabitants, however lower than most rich international locations. The U.S. covid-19 vaccination price at present sits at a stubbornly low 58%, whereas different rich international locations are round 70% totally vaxxed. Canada, for instance, has a covid-19 vaccination price of 74.2% and the UK is 67.9% totally vaccinated.

An immunologist in New Zealand warned Stuff that the outcomes could possibly be horrible if the case imported into Tonga isn’t correctly contained.

“Tonga has been one of a group of countries within the Pacific region that has managed to protect its people by keeping the virus out of the country for so long,” New Zealand’s Dr. Dianne Sika-Paotonu advised Stuff.

“If this case is not contained, the potential consequences for the Tongan nation will be catastrophic.”