All of the 152 passengers who arrived from New Zealand on 28 July have tested negative, in results obtained yesterday for their second test, the Chief Medical Officer for Public Health, Dr Reynold ‘Ofanoa confirmed this morning.

Three COVID-19 tests are now mandatory during the three-week quarantine period in Tonga, with the first test taken after arrival, another during the second week, and the third at the end of the quarantine period.

Meanwhile, repatriation flights from Pago Pago, Vanuatu, and New Zealand are scheduled to arrive on 25 August.

The repatriation flight from Brisbane has been deferred to 25 September due to the COVID-19 outbreak there.

Meanwhile, Fiji flights have been deferred until further notice, due to their high risk COVID-19 situation.

So far, more than 3,000 people have entered Tonga through quarantine since the border was closed in March 2020.

Not a single case of COVID-19 has been recorded in Tonga to date.