Nationwide lockdown extended in Samoa over more COVID-19 cases-Xinhua

Nationwide lockdown extended in Samoa over more COVID-19 cases

Source: Xinhua| 2022-01-24 21:44:30|Editor: huaxia

SUVA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Samoa extended on Monday its nationwide lockdown by 72 hours after five new COVID-19 positive cases were reported in the Pacific island country.

According to a report by the newspaper Samoa Observer, Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa announced the five new cases in a national address, saying the infections were detected in the frontline workers who were monitoring 10 air passengers testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday last week.

The 10 people earlier found to be infected were among 73 returning residents on board a charter flight arriving from Brisbane, Australia.

The extended lockdown in Samoa will run from 6 p.m. on Monday to 6 p.m. local time on Thursday.

To enable the public in the island nation to replenish their daily life supplies, shops, money transfer services as well as markets will be opened on Tuesday and Thursday during the allocated hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time.

Last Saturday, the Samoan prime minister announced a 48-hour national lockdown.

Currently, Samoa continues its Alert Level 3 in response to COVID-19 since last Saturday.

The country reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in February last year.

EXPLORE XINHUANET