Results for Health

Tonga’s health records will move from paper-based to a digital patient management system starting tomorrow, December 1, after the Prime Minister Hon. Rev. Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa launched the Kingdom’s first National Health Information System (NHIS) this morning at Davina House in Nuku'alofa. By Eleanor Gee.

The roll out of second doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 12 – 17 year olds will start in schools tomorrow, Dr ‘Ofa Tukia from the Ministry of Health confirmed today.

The repatriation flights that were scheduled to arrive in Tonga at the end of this year have been "all deferred to next year", MEIDECC confirmed today. Meanwhile, all of the 215 repatriates from Christchurch, including the COVID-19 case who was later confirmed as a historical case, were released from quarantine yesterday, after testing negative to COVID-19 in their last round of tests.

Tonga's King Tupou VI assented the Vaccination (Amendment) Act 2021 and the Public Health (Amendment) Act 2021, giving government the power to declare that vaccination is compulsory. The Acts (16 & 17 0f 2021) were among 13 pieces of legislation Gazetted by the Tonga Government on 5 November. However, Health officials have said that vaccination will not be forced, while the focus now is for Tonga to attain a voluntary 70% vaccination of its 103,000 population by the end of 2021.

Tonga’s first COVID-19 positive case is believed to be a historical case, after testing a weak positive today in a third test, “we believe he is not infectious,” said Ministry of Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau‘ola this afternoon. By Eleanor Gee.

The person who had tested a weak positive for COVID-19 after arriving on a repatriation flight from Christchurch last Wednesday night, has tested negative for COVID-19 in a second test done on Monday, November 1, confirmed Ministry of Health Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola today. “This is good for his family and this person because the weight of the country must have been on him and the difficulty that he was in.”

A COVID-19 lockdown hotline and vaccine hotline has been provided by the Tonga Prime Minister’s Office this afternoon for the public who wish to clarify information regarding the 7-days lockdown that started last night, November 1.

A lockdown for the island of Tongatapu will start at one minute past midnight, tonight (12:01am November 2) with stricter social distancing measures enforced to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19. It means that everyone must stay at home, except for services that are designated essential. Meanwhile, no community transmission of COVID-19 has been detected.

Thousands of people flocked to vaccination sites in Tonga last night and today, following news of a COVID-19 positive case in a passenger who arrived in Tonga from Christchurch on October 27. On Friday there were 2,000 shots and today even more.