Tonga's COVID positive case in quarantine is not showing any symptoms, because the passenger was prevously vaccinated, the Minister of Health said yesterday.

“And that’s why we need over 90% of the eligible population to be vaccinated so no one will be critically ill, and be just like the person with COVID-19 that travelled from Christchurch, who is not showing any symptoms,” Hon. Dr 'Amelia  Tu’ipulotu said.

Vaccination figures released by the Tonga Ministry of Health today, November 2, show that Tonga has fully vaccinated 63% of the adult eligible population, with 89% having their first dose of vaccines.

The data shows that 56,469 (89%) people out of the 63,128 population aged 18 and over, are now inoculated with their first dose.

There is variation for regions as the vaccination rates on Tongatapu and Vava’u for this age group have already surpassed 90%, while the other outer islands have reached 70% and over.

For the younger age groups, it's been less than two weeks since the Pfizer vaccine roll-out began on October 21.

Out of the 13,783 youth aged 12-17 years old in Tonga, 9,411 (68%) have already received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to date. On Tongatapu, 78% of this age group have had their first dose while ‘Eua recorded 84%.

At the same time, 84 people aged 18 and over (likely pregnant women), have also received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine while six have received their second dose.

ICU capacity

Tonga's ICU capacity fo treating severe COVID-19 is limited.

“The capacity of the ICU ward at the hospital can look after around five people,” said the Minister of Health.

She added that around 20 sick people can be treated at the Mu’a Health Centre, which was upgraded to cater for COVID-19 patients.

“That’s why we need over 90% of the eligible population to be vaccinated.

“And if people do have any symptoms, it will only be mild and they can quarantine at managed isolation quarantine or isolate at home, or stay at Taliai Camp or the Mu’a Health Centre,” she said.

Tonga has a population of just under 106,000. Around 77,000 are over the age of 12 and eligible to be vaccinated. Current rates of vaccination released on 2 November 2021 are: