A repatriation flight from Pago Pago, American Samoa, and Apia, Western Samoa, is now scheduled to arrive in Tonga with nine passengers on 22 September, said MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today.

Meanwhile, the 14 people repatriated from Vanuatu on 26 August were released from quarantine yesterday, after testing negative to COVID-19, confirmed Dr ‘Ofa Tukia from the Ministry of Health Public Health Division this afternoon.

Dr Tukia said seven staff from health and HMAF monitoring the repatriates also tested negative to COVID-19.

“They were all released yesterday at 2:00pm after Day 21 of quarantine.”

The 14 Chinese people arrived in Tonga to work on a government project.

Repatriation flight from Pago Pago and Apia

The next repatriation flight comes from Pago Pago, American Samoa, and Apia, Western Samoa,with only 9 passengers on 22 September, who will quarantine at Taliai Military Camp at Fua’amotu.

The last repatriations from New Zealand were 152 people on 26 July 2021.

The repatriation flights from New Zealand and Australia that were cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak have been rescheduled to next month.

Paula confirmed these flights were now expected to arrive on October 20, depending on the COVID-19 situation and advice from the Ministry of Health.