The first group of 26 Tongan athletes and officials have arrived in London today. The boxing and table tennis teams had been stranded in China following the outbreak of the coronavirus and the travel restrictions imposed.
You are here
Results for Health
Monday 17 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Premium content
Monday 17 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Ministry of Health issued its third travel advisory on 15 February reminding international travellers they need to meet requirements on arrival in Tonga, due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. A traveller from China who was on a flight from New Zealand was denied entry at Fua'amotu International Airport last week because he failed to comply with a new condition of entry to Tonga.
Saturday 15 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A traveller from China who was on board an international flight from New Zealand was denied entry to Fua’amotu International Airport on February 13 for failing to comply with a 14 days quarantine requirement at the last port of entry.
Premium content
Saturday 15 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The 51 Tongan athletes who were stuck in China following the outbreak of the Corona virus are expected to leave China tomorrow and on Tuesday and travel to the United Kingdom, where they will stay under medical supervision for two weeks before returning to Tonga in early March.
Premium content
Friday 14 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Acting Minister of Health is hopeful that four Tongan sports teams in China will be permitted to evacuate to London where they may be quarantined for 14-days before returning to Tonga, and approval for the move is being sought from the UK Government. In Tonga the distressed parents of the swimmers are happy that the government is trying to get the teams home.
Premium content
Friday 14 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tongan Embassy in Beijing has been keeping tabs on Tongan nationals across China, including 49 students to ensure they are looked after, as new cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to climb.
Premium content
Wednesday 12 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Four cruise ships have been ordered to stay away from Tonga this week under a diversion order issued yesterday, 11 February, by the Ministry of Health, to prevent the introduction or spread of the new coronavirus, now named SARS-CoV-2. The virus with 393 cases outside of China, has been identified as a form of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) coronaviruses.
Tuesday 11 February 2020
Geneva, Switzerland
The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases worldwide has climbed to 40,235 in China and 909 deaths as at 10 February, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). No update has been provided by the Tonga Government on the Tongan students and sports athletes currently in China, since its travel advisory on 5 February. Meanwhile, residents in Tonga's Vava'u Group are worried that cruise ships are arriving directly from overseas at this time.
Premium content
Wednesday 5 February 2020
Auckland, New Zealand
UPDATED: Four Tongans were reported to be on board an Air New Zealand flight evacuating New Zealand citizens and foreign nationals, including Tongans from Wuhan, due to the novel coronavirus.
Premium content
Wednesday 5 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
While no cases of coronavirus have been identified in Tonga, measures have been introduced at ports of entry for all international travellers. Those who have originated or travelled through China must spend at least 14-days self-quarantine in the last port free of the novel coronavirus.
Premium content
Tuesday 4 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Tonga Government stated today it has remained in regular contact with the students and sports team who remain in mainland China, due to cancelled flights, and that the Embassy in Nuku'alofa had guaranteed that they were well with the necessary supplies until they could depart China for Tonga. Government is looking for other options.
Premium content
Tuesday 4 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Young Tongan students in China have been advised to stay at universities, by the Chinese Embassy in Tonga, as there are no flights to get them out now. They are among over 300 people from Tonga who remain in China.
Monday 3 February 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
New measles cases are continuing to drop with only five new cases reported on Tongatapu between 23 and 29 January while the outer islands reported none.
Premium content
Friday 31 January 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Prime Minister has asked the New Zealand and Australian Governments to assist with quarantining four Tongan sports teams and students, upon their return from China.
Premium content
Friday 31 January 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Due to the outbreak and fast spreading of the novel coronavirus, the World Health Organisation has declared it a global health emergency, on January 30. The death toll has now risen over 200 in China.
Thursday 30 January 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Alternative flights to bring home four Tongan sports teams who are stranded in China will be confirmed soon, Tonga's Ministry of Internal Affairs said today. The teams connecting flights to Hong Kong were cancelled earlier this week due to the novel corona virus epidemic in China.
Premium content
Thursday 30 January 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Chinese Government will protect the safety and health of Tongan citizens in China, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Tonga stated yesterday, while assuring it was not necessary to conduct massive evacuations of foreign nationals from China.
Tuesday 28 January 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
All inbound passengers to Tonga must complete a Health Customs Form to assess potential signs and symptoms to coronavirus, in a first travel advisory issued by the Ministry of Health.
Monday 27 January 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A health team was stationed today at Fua'amotu International Airport to monitor all incoming passengers, as Tonga takes precaution in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China. A Tongan sports teams, currently in China are reported to be safe and well, and will return to Tonga next week.
Premium content
Monday 27 January 2020
Pennsylvania, USA
An entire city in China is essentially on lockdown this week as officials try to get a handle on the Coronavirus outbreak. A few cases have been identified in other countries. Here's what you need to know.