After completing 14 days quarantine at the Tanoa Hotel in Nuku'alofa, 45 repatriated Fiji and Kiribati, all tested negative for CoViD-19.

MEIDECC said in a statement that they were released to their homes on Wednesday, 16 September, and will be in self-isolation for another 7 days.

Another 25 people repatriated from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu on 5 September, will complete their 14 days of quarantine at the Tanoa Hotel, tomorrow Saturday, 19 September.

Repatriation flight from NZ

The next repatriation flight is planned to arrive in Tonga from Christchurch, New Zealand, during the first week of October.

The Tongan government proposed the flight fly to Tonga directly from Christchurch due to the CoViD-19 situation in Auckland.

Around 148 passengers are expected on this flight with the majority being seasonal workers, including 71 females.

MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u told Matangi Tonga today that the passengers may be all quarantined at Makeke, a property of the Church of the Latter Days Saints, and Taliai Military Camp.

He said that passengers must test negative to CoViD-19 before they are allowed to board the repatriation flight.

He added that a repatriation flight from Auckland "may still be a possibility but very slim" as it all depended on the Ministry of Health.