Covid-19: Frontline Tonga workers who met flight NZ now in MIQ

Nearly 300 people are now in isolated management in Tonga following the discovery of the first positive Covid-19 Kingdom case.

The positive case arrived in Nuku’alofa with a repatriation flight from Christchurch, New Zealand, and while he is asymptomatic, he is being cared for alone in a special quarantine facility in Mu’a.

Tonga Ministry of Health CEO Siale Akau’ola said the remaining 214 passengers are in the MIQ at the Tanoa Hotel while about 80 first-line workers who met the flight are also in the MIQ at the Kupesi Hotel.

“But of course because of the limited human resources we have, we are aware that if we continue to quarantine staff and keep people out of service delivery, we may run out of staff.” tha Akau’ola.

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He said this is a danger we are seeing, but at the moment we are acting swiftly to ensure that there is no transmission in the community.

“As a further security precaution, all personnel working in quarantine and managed isolation facilities should remain in place for the duration of the 21-day quarantine period,” Akau’ola said.

Positive case confirmation

Akau’ola said the positive case was diagnosed on October 28, following flight on the 27th from New Zealand.

“We applied the normal procedures that would be required for a first case in Tonga, so this is the first time we are implementing the measures we have been practicing for some time.”

And, of course, thankfully, the case was identified while he was in quarantine, as all passengers coming to Tonga are required to stay in quarantine for 21 days.

The positive case has been moved to another quarantine facility while the rest of the passengers who have traveled with it are still under surveillance at the hotel where they are staying.

The positive person is fine, he is asymptomatic. He has not complained about anything, and so far it is looking good. Of course, we are also relieved to know that he was fully vaccinated before leaving New Zealand.

We understand that the people who have been near him in Christchurch are also fine, so far.

“Because this is our first case, we are deploying staff to take care of passengers on the flight from New Zealand.”

At the same time, we are paying special attention to our front-line employees who worked at the airport upon arrival of the aircraft and we are trying to manage this as best we can.

“We are certainly managing the messages we are sending to the public, to make sure people are aware of what is happening,” Akau’ola said.

But I think otherwise, we are doing well in Tonga, and things are very much under control. We are keeping the Cabinet informed of all developments.

“Regarding testing those in managed isolation, our normal routine is to test them within 24 or 48 hours of arrival, and then test them again on the 14th day, the last time we will test them “to be on the 20th day, before they leave. quarantine on the 21st day, if everything is fine,” he said.

“We will have confirmation of the variant after we send the test to New Zealand which will be on Wednesday,” Akau’ola said.

The special object of Mu’a quarantine

The first positive case of Covid-19 in Tonga is now isolation at the Mu’a community clinic outside the capital, Nuku’alofa.

Speaking from Nuku’alofa, William Puloka, who has supported the spread of the Covid-19 vaccine there, said the quarantine facility in the village of Mu’a where the Covid-19 patient is now being cared for has been specially prepared, if any positive. Covid-19 cases in Tonga

“Mu’a village and the Covid-19 quarantine facility are well established to isolate and care for Covid-19 positive patients,” Puloka said.

Puloka said there was a shock and a bit of panic as the passenger from New Zealand tested positive for the Covid-19.

“There ‘s a bit of panic and people just do not believe he has finally come here. I think more of them are disappointed to say that you know that our record of being without Covid is now broken than people are afraid it might be. ‘happen to them.

High turnout for vaccinations after confirmation of Covid-19 case

Thousands of people flocked to Vaccination sites in Tonga, on Friday night and Saturday following news of a positive Covid-19 case on a passenger arriving in Tonga from Christchurch on 27 October.

“Yesterday afternoon after the announcement of a single case, people were coming to the vaccination sites, so it was very exciting to see it,” said Health Minister Amelia Tu’ipulotu. Matangi Tonga Saturday morning at the vaccination site of the crowded Queen Salote Memorial Hall.

She said high turnout on Friday night and Saturday would increase national coverage among the eligible population.

“More people are coming forward because we now have the first dose coverage of about 86 percent and a second dose of about 62 percent, so this is a big turnout today and it will increase the overall coverage of the first vaccinated and completely. “

“We are doing our best, as we have done in the past, and our team is fully committed to the front line to better defend the Kingdom,” she said.

The Minister of Health thanked the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern for donating the Pfizer vaccines that arrived on October 20, which would protect Tongan youth and vulnerable pregnant women.