CEO of the Ministry of Health, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola told Matangi Tonga on 15 March, so far there have been no more deaths caused by influenza, during the last one week period.

“We have also noted a decrease in number of cases coming to hospital with influenza-like illnesses. The usual eleven surveillance sites throughout Tonga have shown a slight decrease,” he said.

“The overall decrease is slight only. I would approximate it to be about 5% or so. So the outbreak has more or less plateaued off. The important observations, there are no more deaths and no further increase.”

Initially on 8 March, Dr ‘Akau’ola said that the outbreak of influenza-like illnesses had been going on in Tonga for the last eight to nine-weeks.

Three cases which led to fatalities were a 1-year-old, a 3-year-old and a 13-year-old child.

He said incidences monitored then at the surveillance sites, showed the trend of new cases having peaked on week eight of the outbreak, with an average of 30 cases per day and a total of about 180 cases per week.

King Tupou VI