Samoa imposes lockdown, closes borders amid COVID cases

The Pacific island nation of Samoa entered a 48-hour lockdown on Saturday after COVID-19 assessments for 15 passengers on a flight from Australia got here again optimistic.

The nation of roughly 200,000 individuals will stay below lockdown till Monday night, in accordance with a press launch from the Samoan authorities.

The discharge detailed restrictions that will be put in place through the lockdown, together with a stay-at-home order, full border closures, faculty closures  and a ban on all mass gatherings.

“With the authorized powers inked within the Letters of the COVID-19 state of emergency orders, it’s obligatory for face masks to be worn in public and the identical mandate is utilized to the remainder of the restrictions,” Secretary to Cupboard and Chairman of the Nationwide Emergency Operation Heart Agafili Tomaimano Shem Leo stated in a press release.

“The binding restrictions to conform to the letter is because of the potential collateral damages to our nation particularly the lives of our residents, now at excessive danger,” he added.

Samoans face a $2,000 tremendous if they don’t comply.

The Samoan authorities confirmed the 15 circumstances amongst a gaggle of 73 passengers who entered the nation on a flight from Australia on Wednesday. All those that examined optimistic are in isolation, whereas the remainder of the passengers from the flight are in quarantine, in accordance with the discharge.

Agafili stated Samoa “can’t afford to be complacent.”

“Our nation is in a nationwide emergency and our safety is below siege from COVID-19,” he stated.

The neighboring territory of American Samoa has not gone into lockdown, in accordance with The Related Press, although it has reported 18 lively circumstances of the virus.

One other Pacific island nation, Kiribati, additionally has gone into lockdown after passengers on a global flight to the nation examined optimistic for COVID-19. It marks Kiribati’s first lockdown because the pandemic started.