Results for Pacific Islands

Sixty-eight new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Tonga since the last report on February 23, including 42 in Hu‘atolitoli Prison, one in Vava‘u, and 25 in Tongatapu, the Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni told a press conference on Friday, February 25.

Tongan technicians were transported to Kao Island in Australian helicopters to repair a key Digicel tower to help restore communications to the outer islands in a three day operation completed on February 22.

Discrepancies in breakdown of the COVID-19 (Omicron variant) figures for Tonga released by the government's press conferences, continue to confuse people who are trying to follow exactly how many cases have tested negative/recovered since recording of cases began on 29 October last year. There were 55 new cases reported today, and 57 new negatives/recoveries. It seems likely there were a further 60 recoveries that were not specified. One person has died from an underlying condition.

The Tongatapu end of Tonga’s international fibre optic cable was being pulled up today for splicing and is expected to come online by late tomorrow, Tuesday, 38 days after a large section was blown to bits by a volcanic eruption on Jan. 15.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, 'Ohsumi', left Tonga last Wednesday, February 16, after delivering relief supplies to Tongatapu and the outer islands.

The prompt reaction of the People’s Republic of China to first donate Emergency Disaster Relief Aid to Tonga on 19 January is sincerely appreciated. The two Y20 military aircrafts, which have flown more than 10,000 kilometres to Tonga, strongly indicated that China cares about Tonga - Furthermore, in the past month, China has donated US $1,300,000 in cash and relief and restoration assistance worth over RMB ¥30 million (about TOP $10.65 million) in total since the volcanic eruption and tsunami disasters happened. By Col. (Ret’d) Siamelie Latu.

Transnational crime — specifically drug production and trafficking — is one of the most serious security issues facing the Pacific Islands region, warns a new Lowy Institute Analysis, released last night. Author, Jose Sousa-Santos says deportation policies of Australia, New Zealand, and the United States are exacerbating the problem. He dedicated his research paper to the late Ned Cook, a Salvation Army drugs counsellor, who was killed in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, in 2020.

Ultra-cold chain equipment to store Pfizer vaccines for long-term use arrived in Tonga on an Australian Defence Force humanitarian flight on Monday. The rollout of boosters is the key to protecting the people of Tonga from the current COVID-19 outbreak, Australia’s High Commissioner, HE Rachael Moore said

Tonga is experiencing a triple blow in the wake of the volcanic eruption with the tsunami and the first outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. It is a challenging time and a time of need for Tonga. At this difficult time for Tonga, China’s prompt humanitarian relief assistance together with the grant aid of 119 pieces of heavy plant machinery valued at RMB¥73 million (TOP$26 million) arrived at a right time and will be critical for the national reconstruction in the wake of the natural disasters. By H.E. Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China.