Results for COVID-19

Around the world, Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated today 5 May, but in Tonga students at GPS Fasi have stepped up their hand hygiene routine every day to prevent the spread of pathogens and infections such as CoViD-19.

Restrictions enforced under a State of Emergency in Tonga since 17 April will be relaxed for a couple of weeks from 8:00pm May 1-15 2020, the Prime Minister announced yesterday. However, the international border remains closed to incoming passengers, including an estimated 10,000 Tongans overseas who want to return.

Tonga’s Ministry of Health still has a number of issues to address before they would like the borders to open and to ease restrictions on gathering in public places, says Health CEO Dr Siale 'Akau'ola. “We have to make sure that no coronavirus will be transferred.”

ANZ Pacific today donated AUD$50,000 to the Tonga Red Cross Society supporting its relief efforts to vulnerable families, affected by the double crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and severe Tropical Cyclone Harold this month.

Most activities have been re-opened so why are bars and kava clubs still restricted? The answer can’t be to ensure that we adhere to social distancing – instead it must be an attempt to regulate the social activities to make sure we stay away from alcohol and kava, an unstated goal of the police and health ministries for years. It might be time to consider the positive side of these businesses as they provide a more healthy outlet for people than drinking in the streets or cars and they pay wages that help keep the economy going. - Dean Bishoprick

A man who boarded an Air New Zealand flight at Fua’amotu International Airport yesterday, 23 April, was removed due to a New Zealand Immigration travel ban “technicality”, and ended up in quarantine at the Fua'amotu Taliai Camp instead, where he will have to stay for 14 days.

Big-hearted American-Tongan pro golfer Tony Finau has donated $100,000 to ‘Project Protect’, an initiative to provide $5 million face masks to frontline healthcare workers in the United States. The country is the worst affected by CoViD-19, with over 42,000 Americans having died from the disease so far.

An Air New Zealand flight bringing medical equipment from Auckland to Tonga on Thursday, 23 April has been approved to leave the Kingdom with passengers confirmed Minister for MEIDECC Hon Poasi Tei today.

The second CoViD-19 testing machine and testing kits are among medical supplies due to arrive in Tonga on Thursday, 23 April on an Air New Zealand flight.