Two repatriation flights scheduled for January [1]
Thursday, January 13, 2022 - 18:39
By Eleanor Gee
Two repatriation flights to Tonga from Vanuatu and Auckland, New Zealand, are scheduled to arrive at Fua'amotu Int'l Airport next week on January 18 and 20 respectively,
Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola confirmed the dates to Matangi Tonga Online this afternoon.
The flight from Vanuatu is a chartered flight carrying less than 10 passengers to work on a construction project for the Armed Forces.
“These passengers have been in Vanuatu for more than one month,” he said.
So far, 3,122 people have been repatriated to Tonga since the border restrictions began in March 2020.
The last repatriation flight to Tonga was from New Zealand on 27 October 2021, with 215 passengers.
No further repatriation flights from Fiji and Australia have been announced.
Both these countries are currently experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases as the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data reported on January 11, Australia recorded 494,954 new COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths in the last week.
Fiji also recorded 2,572 new cases and 12 deaths. New Zealand had a much lower rate with 443 new cases and 1 death reported over the last week.
Globally, as at 12 January, the WHO reported 312,173,462 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, 5.501 million deaths have been reported.
COVID-19 Vaccine
Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccinations have been ongoing in Tonga with around 96% of the eligible population (12 years and over) inoculated with one dose, while around 84% have been fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health.
This year, Australia is planning to provide more Pfizer vaccines to Tonga for booster shots.