55 new Omicron cases for Tonga, recovery figures unclear [1]
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 - 17:13. Updated on Thursday, February 24, 2022 - 11:12.
Discrepancies in breakdown of the COVID-19 (Omicron variant) figures for Tonga released by the government's press conferences, continue to confuse people who are trying to follow exactly how many cases have tested negative/recovered since recording of cases began, with the first case reported on October 29 last year.
The Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni said today that from February 1 to date there had been a total of 287 positive cases.
Since the last figures were released on Friday, 18 February, he said that 57 had recovered or tested negative but remained in quarantine for 10 days.
He also said that 78 cases had been discharged home.
Unclear
However, if we add up the total number of cases reported by government since reporting began on Oct. 29, there have been 289 cases reported by government.
A simple calculation shows that 57 new negatives, plus the previously reported 38 recoveries, totals 95 negatives/recovered.
If that's correct, then 289 total cases minus 95 recovered, equals 194 active cases.
No?
“Tonga has 133 active cases,” the Prime Minister said today.
It was understood the active cases were all in Tongatapu.
Matangi Tonga has been trying to clarify the recovery figures with officials, who said they are going back to look at it.
The COVID coordinator for the Ministry of Health, Monalisa Palu, said this afternoon that the discrepancy is, most probably, in the recovery and discharge figures reported.
Death
One person who had tested positive for COVID has died due to an underlying condition from another illness. The Prime Minister said it was not a COVID death.
Meanwhile, to date, a total of 20,562 COVID-19 tests have been carried out. Of these, 5,755 were PRC tests and 14,807 rapid tests.
The Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Saia Piukala, said the specimen taken from the positive cases in MIQ came back as the variant Omicron.
Vaccinations
He said for vaccinations those who had received their first dose had reached 99 percent and second dose at 91 percent; while, booster shots had reached 26 percent.
“The good news now is there are only 467 [eligible] people remaining who have not been vaccinated.”
He said Government was also planning to continue repatriating people from overseas.
“At the same, we are constantly assessing our situation and will decide on future easing of lockdown restrictions accordingly,” he said.
--
COVID TRACKER compiled by Matangi Tonga from the numbers of previous and current cases reported by Government press conferences, including today: