The 150 passengers repatriated from New Zealand on Tuesday have all tested negative for CoViD-19 confirmed MEIDECC CEO, Paula Ma’u today. Currently, over 2800 people are registered on the government’s repatriation list wanting to return to Tonga, The next repatriation flight is booked tentatively for 25 August.
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Results for COVID-19
Friday 7 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
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Thursday 6 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Businesses and workers are finding it hard to repay loans in the CoViD-19 economic downturn. A national rapid assessment on the impact CoViD-19 is having on businesses and employment will run from 10 August until 7 September, the Tonga National Tripartite Committee (TNTC) announced today.
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Wednesday 5 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Dr Fotu Fisi’iahi, CEO for the Ministry of Internal Affairs was pleased to finally return to Tonga on yesterday’s repatriation flight, after being stranded in New Zealand since March 23.
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Tuesday 4 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s second repatriation flight arrived this afternoon with 150 passengers coming from New Zealand. One very happy family was waiting beside the road at Fua'amotu village near the airport, to welcome home one of the passengers, a 70-year-old father and grandfather, whom they hoped could see them as the quarantine buses left the airport.
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Tuesday 4 August 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s State of Emergency has been extended because of the COVID-19 Pandemic from 8:00pm today, Tuesday, 4 August until 8:00pm 31 August.
Tuesday 4 August 2020
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Auckland, New Zealand
The New Zealand Pacific Business Council will hold a free webinar tomorrow, Wednesday 5 August, to hear from a diverse range of speakers who will provide their views on the prioritisation of a Pacific Bubble.
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Tuesday 4 August 2020
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Auckland, New Zealand
Some lucky Tongan citizens who have remained in New Zealand since the COVID-19 lockdown are on the way home today on a repatriation flight.
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Monday 3 August 2020
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Suva, Fiji
The difficult issue of how to safely reopen national entry points in six Pacific Islands countries, including Tonga, was discussed today in a second virtual roundtable meeting, convened by the United Nations and Asian Development Bank, as COVID-19 continues to cause wide-spread movement restrictions.
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Monday 3 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Minister for Health, Hon Dr ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu has been hospitalized and is recovering well, said Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola this morning. He did not explain the reason for her admission to Vaiola Hospital. Meanwhile, the first group pf 57 repatriated passengers who arrived from Fiji on July 11, completed their additional seven days of home quarantine with no symptoms recorded.
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Monday 3 August 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Medical supplies from China were handed over to the Ministry of Health at Vaiola Hospital on July 24.
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Friday 31 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A second repatriation flight from New Zealand will bring 150 passengers from New Zealand on Tuesday, August 4. Half of the passengers are expected to be seasonal workers.
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Wednesday 29 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Five health teams are continuing to monitor the 57 passengers that were repatriated from Fiji to Tonga over two weeks ago, while they are self-quarantining at their homes. A repatriation flight from New Zealand is expected to be confirmed soon by Cabinet, with the list of passengers being finalized today.
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Monday 27 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga remains CoViD-19 free after the 57 people in quarantine tested negative today, the Minister for Health, Hon Dr 'Amelia Tu'ipulotu announced this afternoon. A second repatriation flight to bring stranded Tongans from New Zealand is being planned for August 4.
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Wednesday 22 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Pacific region, including Tonga, is requesting access to a vaccine currently being developed to fight COVID-19, said the Minister for Health Hon ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu today. They are talking to the World Health Organisation and taking part in preliminary discussions with the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. It is hoped that by the end of 2021 there will be enough vaccine to immunise 20% of the population, starting with front line workers.
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Wednesday 22 July 2020
Geneva, Switzerland
During the 2009 swine flu pandemic, a few countries cornered the vaccine market, leaving the vast majority of the global population with no vaccine at all until the outbreak was effectively over. This scenario must be avoided at all costs during the current crisis – and, thanks to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility, it can be. By Seth Berkley, Richard Hatchett, and Soumya Swaminathan.
Tuesday 21 July 2020
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Auckland, New Zealand
An action plan to ensure Pacific learners and families achieve their educational dreams and aspirations was released today by Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa.
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Monday 20 July 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongan health officials will cautiously assess procedures around the first repatriation flight including quarantine, and ensure issues are addressed before the second repatriation flight arrives in Tonga. By Eleanor Gee.
Monday 20 July 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been set for 23 July 2021 after the games were postponed this year due to CoViD-19.
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Monday 20 July 2020
New York, USA
Even if one or more vaccines emerge that promise to make people less susceptible to COVID-19, the public-health problem will not be eliminated. But policymakers can avert some foreseeable problems by starting to address key questions about financing and distribution now. The toughest political question of all, though, is likely to concern access. Who should receive the initial doses of any vaccine? Who determines who is allowed into the queue and in what order? By Richard N. Haass
Friday 17 July 2020
Sydney, Australia
The Oceania Rugby Men’s XV Championships to be held in August in Papua New Guinea has been cancelled due to CoViD-19. Postponed fixtures include the Oceania Rugby Women’s Repechage qualification between Samoa and Tonga.
