Two repatriation flights are being planned for next month to return around 300 people from Christchurch, New Zealand and Brisbane, Australia, confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma’u today.
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Results for COVID-19
Friday 11 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Wednesday 9 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga is looking at providing CoViD-19 tests for outgoing passengers at a fee says the Ministry of Health, but until a regulation is amended, foreigners who are stuck in Tonga will not be able have departure tests. This may take two weeks or more to sort out.
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Monday 7 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Twenty-six passengers repatriated from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu on Saturday, 5 September, tested negative for CoViD-19 confirmed Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola today.
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Friday 4 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
All 45 passengers repatriated from Fiji and Kiribati on Wednesday have tested negative for CoViD-19 confirmed MEIDECC CEO Paula Ma'u this afternoon. Only 38 passengers were repatriated from Fiji out of the 56 that had registered to return to Tonga because of issues with obtaining tests and the cost of the tickets.
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Thursday 3 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A second trial for students to learn from home for one day on 8 September has been organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, to prepare students for school closures should CoViD-19 reach Tonga.
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Wednesday 2 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two flights arriving in Tonga today repatriated around 56 passengers from Nadi, Fiji. Seven more passengers arrived from Tarawa, Kiribati, with the repatriation of a deceased person. A third flight arrived today from Tahiti for a fuel stop.
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Tuesday 1 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two repatriation flights are scheduled to arrive at Fua’amotu International Airport tomorrow, Wednesday, from Fiji and Kiribati confirmed Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola. Tonga Police and military will cordon off the restricted areas from noon on September 2 until midnight on September 18.
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Tuesday 1 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The national CoViD-19 restrictions including a continuing curfew, have been extended from 8:00pm Monday 31 August to 8:00pm Monday 28 September 2020.
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Monday 31 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga has extended its State of Emergency due to CoViD-19 from 8:00pm today, Monday 31 August until 8:00pm Monday 28 September. However, details of the national restrictions including a curfew had not been released by close of business today.
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Friday 28 August 2020
Abuja, Nigeria
Growing evidence shows that COVID-19 survivors can suffer from long-term health effects, not least heart-related complications. All countries with high rates of obesity should be considering programs encouraging weight loss, healthier eating, and physical activity. The more we can reduce the heart-related and other complications of COVID-19, the more lives we will save. By Ifeanyi M. Nsofor.
Friday 28 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A repatriation flight from Fiji that was scheduled for Saturday, 29 August, has been deferred to next Wednesday, Ministry of Health CEO Dr Siale 'Akau'ola, confirmed last night. Meanwhile, a Hawkes Bay fruit grower has called Tonga's failure to repatriate its vulnerable young men and seasonal workers, who are left stranded in New Zealand, as “unconscionable” (shockingly unfair or unjust) .
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Thursday 27 August 2020
Gold Coast, Australia
All 2020 Championship events, including the Polynesian Championships to be held in Nuku'alofa, have been cancelled due to CoViD-19, the Oceania Athletics Association (OAA) stated on August 26.
Thursday 27 August 2020
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Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand is increasing its chances of securing access to a CoViD-19 vaccine when it becomes available, after announcing millions of dollars to support domestic and international vaccine efforts. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is also ensuring Pacific Island countries are supported.
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Wednesday 26 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga has provided an Expression of Interest to join COVAX to access CoViD-19 vaccines confirmed the Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola. It will give early access to vaccinations for the most vulnerable people in member countries populations.
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Thursday 20 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The 150 quarantine passengers repatriated from New Zealand have been released to go home after they all tested negative for CoViD-19, confirmed the Ministry of Health CEO, Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, today.
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Thursday 13 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Several hundred Tongan nationals who are stranded in distant countries, include a small cluster of surgical patients and their carers, who became stuck in India when Tonga's border closed on March 23. The Ministry of Health wants them to be repatriated but CEO Dr Siale 'Akau'ola voiced his extreme frustration today that he can find no viable pathway home for these patients, without stronger collaboration in the region.
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Thursday 13 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The immediate family of HM King Tupou VI remain abroad during the CoViD-19 pandemic.
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Wednesday 12 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Major economic and social impacts of CoViD-19 on the Pacific was the focus of the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) over the last two days, 11-12 August.
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Monday 10 August 2020
Melbourne, Australia
Many ethicists conclude that fully informed volunteers should be allowed to sign up for a potentially dangerous trial that will reduce the time required to bring an effective vaccine to everyone who could be exposed to SARS-CoV-2. The alternative is that the virus will continue to impose much higher levels of risk on other people, especially health care workers, older people, and people with underlying health conditions that reduce their chances of surviving infection. We should praise the young and healthy volunteers for risking their safety in order to save others. By Peter Singer and Isaac Martinez
Friday 7 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A Pacific Unite: Saving Lives Together, is the first televised and digitally streamed concert by the United Nations to call on leaders and citizens across the region to work together with the rest of the world in the fight against COVID-19. Tonga's massed Tupou College Choir and Mia Kami will perform. It premiers on August 15 on Television Tonga and other broadcasters around the region.
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