COVID-19

Convicted Vanuatu health minister receives pardon

The minister had been fined $US2,500 and ordered to do 120 hours of community work after pleading guilty to three charges of actions that endangered the safety of a passenger in an aircraft.

He was fined an additional $US430 for boarding an aircraft at Pekoa Airport on Santo while intoxicated.

Both the president and the minister hail from the island of Ambrym.

Last year, Tallis pardoned the criminal convictions of three former prime ministers, Charlot Salwai, Joe Natuman, and Serge Vohor.

Tallis, who is a pastor, will end his term in office this month.

Covid-19 cases at Niue's border now ten

It follows the arrival of the first quarantine free flight from New Zealand last week.

The government says so far all of the people who have tested positive for the virus were on the flight.

Premier Dalton Tagelagi is a close contact of one of the passengers and is in isolation at home.

Niue remains at Alert Level Yellow as there is no community transmission.

The government asks anyone with Covid-19 symptoms to get tested.

 

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Vanuatu's international borders reopen

Vanuatu has been closed to travellers since the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020.

Only repatriation flights were allowed during the closure.

Minister of Tourism, James Bule stated early this week that reopening the international border will provide a stimulus for economic recovery.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vanuatu Tourism Office, Adela Aru, said after more than two years isolated from the rest of the world, today is a joyful day and her team and the local tourism industry are more than ready to start welcoming international visitors.

French Polynesia detects new Covid-19 variants

The first case was discovered two weeks ago, and another two cases were discovered last week, however, the total number of cases over the territory is still unknown.

Local Covid-19 health expert Henri Pierre Mallet told La Premiere that this new variant might mean a return to a similar situation to previous outbreaks.

"It's more contagious, that's why we are having such an increase.

Covid strikes All Blacks again with Will Jordan out of Ireland test

Head coach Ian Foster, assistant coaches John Plumtree and midfielders David Havili and Jack Goodhue are already isolating after contracting the virus.

First-five Richie Mo'unga missed Tuesday's training with a stomach bug, but has tested negative for Covid.

Former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has been called in to help the All Blacks prepare for Saturday's test at a sold out Eden Park.

The quartet are isolating and it's understood they won't re-join the team before Saturday's test at a sold out Eden Park.

Vanuatu, one of the last Covid hermit nations, to open to tourists after two years

Vanuatu, one of the last Covid hermit nations, is set to open up to international travel, but there are concerns the country is not ready to restart tourism, with a lack of deals with foreign airlines posing a significant problem.

From 1 July, international tourists will be able to return to Vanuatu, a country of 300,000 people three hours from Australia, which has had some of the toughest border restrictions in the world through the pandemic.

Sir Mick Jagger tests positive for Covid

The band said the show at the Johan Cruijff Arena would be rescheduled and that they were "deeply sorry".

Sir Mick, 78, added in a message to fans: "Thank you for your patience and understanding."

The band are currently on their Sixty tour, where they had planned to play 14 shows in 10 European countries.

Tickets for the original show will be honoured for the new date once the show is postponed.

The Stones had already played three of their tour dates, including one in the UK at Anfield in Liverpool.

Beijing tests millions to stem Covid-19 cluster linked to 24-hour bar

The outbreak of 228 cases linked to the Heaven Supermarket Bar, which had just reopened as restrictions in Beijing eased last week, highlights how hard it will be for China to make a success of its "zero Covid" policy as much of the rest of the world opts to learn how to live with the virus.

The re-emergence of infections is also raising new concerns about the outlook for the world's second largest economy. China is only just shaking off a heavy blow from a long lockdown in Shanghai - its most populous city and commercial nerve centre - that also disrupted global supply chains.

Vanuatu launches Covid-19 vaccines for 12 to 17 year old age group

The Acting Director of Public Health, Dr. Jenny Stephen said, “While vaccination of adults has been ongoing for a year now, it is important that we now move to vaccinate the children and adolescent group”.

Shanghai lockdown: China eases Covid restrictions after two months

At midnight local time (16:00 GMT Tuesday), restrictions were relaxed to allow most people to move freely around the city of some 25 million people.

But at least 650,000 residents will remain confined to their homes.

China's overall policy of "zero Covid" remains in place and people catching Covid face quarantine or hospital.

Their close contacts also face the prospect of removal to quarantine and the area immediately around where they live being locked down again.