Tonga waits for final COVID-19 test result [1]
Monday, March 9, 2020 - 12:04. Updated on Monday, March 9, 2020 - 15:23.
A second and final batch of samples taken from a suspected COVID-19 case in Tonga on Saturday has been sent to New Zealand for testing.
This is after the first test, sent to Australia last week, was found to be negative.
Ministry of Health, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola told Matangi Tonga this morning, 9 March, that the negative result was received from Australia on Saturday.
“We did collect and send another follow-up sample from [the] patient, which was taken on Saturday, and shipped last Saturday to New Zealand.”
“This is according to lab testing protocol as recommended by WHO, especially for countries with no known case of COVID-19,” he said.
“Once that result comes back, it will confirm 100% the lab test report sent earlier.”
Dr ‘Akau’ola said he expected that the result from the second sample to be received either later today or tomorrow.
Non-contact
Thirty (30) Infra-red non-contact thermometer's have been supplied by the World Health Orgnisation for health workers at the international airport to test people for fevers arriving into Tonga. The thermometers are also being used for patients reporting to the hospital.
An official media statement from the Prime Minister's office released today, Monday, at 11:56am, stated that they knew the results of the negative (non-reactive) COVID-19 test yesterday, at 4:30pm on Sunday 8 March 2020. The test was done at the Victorian Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory.
Worldwide spread
Confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide stands at 109,809, with deaths at 3,802, and recovered at 60,694, according to Johns Hopkins University [2] today, 9 March at 10.23am.
Italy is now the second country after China with the most confirmed cases at 7,375, followed closely by South Korea at 7,314, and Iran at 6,566.