Results for Health

Five health teams are continuing to monitor the 57 passengers that were repatriated from Fiji to Tonga over two weeks ago, while they are self-quarantining at their homes. A repatriation flight from New Zealand is expected to be confirmed soon by Cabinet, with the list of passengers being finalized today.

Tonga remains CoViD-19 free after the 57 people in quarantine tested negative today, the Minister for Health, Hon Dr 'Amelia Tu'ipulotu announced this afternoon. A second repatriation flight to bring stranded Tongans from New Zealand is being planned for August 4.

The Pacific region, including Tonga, is requesting access to a vaccine currently being developed to fight COVID-19, said the Minister for Health Hon ‘Amelia Tu’ipulotu today. They are talking to the World Health Organisation and taking part in preliminary discussions with the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. It is hoped that by the end of 2021 there will be enough vaccine to immunise 20% of the population, starting with front line workers.

Tonga remains CoViD-19 free after tests carried on 57 people who were repatriated from Fiji were negative, the Minister for Health, Hon Dr 'Amelia Tu'ipulotu announced today.

Tonga is looking at more repatriation flights to bring nationals home from low risk countries, but the cost of quarantine for repatriated passengers over a three-month period is estimated to be around $1 million pa’anga, the Ministry of Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola conjected today. Some 2600 people have registered for repatriation to Tonga.

Tonga is ready to receive its first repatriation flight from Fiji today, with 58 passengers expected to land at Fua’amotu International Airport at 12:45pm on a Fiji Airways flight chartered by the Tonga government.

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.

Medical equipment assistance valued of around USD1.5 million will be provided to Tonga by Japan, after an Exchange of Notes was signed on July 6.

The Tonga Animal Welfare Society (TAWS) has been busy providing much needed animal care advice since opening to the community last month in Nuku’alofa.