Results for COVID-19

Fiji Airways has extended its cancellation of international flights to the end of August, due to border closures and travel restrictions amid CoViD-19, the airline stated yesterday.

A reliable and resilient electricity supply is important for health workers, even more so now during the stresses of CoViD-19. In a hospital a power cut could be life-threatening for some patients.

A large secured motorcade with all the emergency services that Tongatapu could muster, delivered the first 58 repatriated Tongans to the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel this afternoon. Tonga is protecting its CoViD-19 free status.

Tonga has renewed its State of Emergency, extending it for another month, from 8:00pm July 8 until 8:00pm August 4, Tonga's Prime Minister Hon Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa declared this afternoon.

Today’s home school trial was deemed a success by some primary, secondary, and tertiary students from the Tu’atakilangi area of Tongatapu using the radio, TV, and internet.

Fifty volunteers from Tonga Red Cross took part in the second CoViD-19 repatriation drill yesterday in Tongatapu.

By this morning, 900 people had registered for repatriation to Tonga. MEIDECC, the Ministry responsible for the Repatriation Registry said that at least 70 stranded public servants are also looking to return to Tonga. A mock repatriation exercise held this morning involved four stages of arrangements.

The Australian Government has contributed AUD$1.9m to community organisations in Tonga earlier this month, to provide safe water supply, teach hand hygiene, and support agricultural development to protect against the impact of CoViD-19.

Editor's comment: On Friday we reported the government’s announcement that there would be a test/drill repatriation flight, with 50 overseas Tongans arriving on an Air New Zealand cargo flight “next week”, and quarantined for two weeks at the Tanoa Hotel. The problem with our report was that we believed what we were being told at the Prime Minister's press conference held at the Fa'onelua Centre. But the “flight arriving this week” was simply their flight of fantasy.