COVID-19

The Immigration and Customs workers join staff from Air Vanuatu who are now in quarantine with the 18 people who arrived from Noumea.

Prime Minister Bob Loughman said the government is still not able to say whether or not the two cases had the delta variant.

Meanwhile the Vanuatu government has stopped the popular annual music event, Fest Napuan, because of Covid-19.

Individuals who have had two vaccine doses can be just as infectious as those who have not been jabbed.

Even if they have no or few symptoms, the chance of them transmitting the virus to other unvaccinated housemates is about two in five, or 38%.

This drops to one in four, or 25%, if housemates are also fully vaccinated.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases work shows why getting even more people vaccinated and protected is important, they say.

Unvaccinated people cannot rely on those around them being jabbed to remove their risk of getting infected, they warn.

Two of the passengers were tested positive for Covid-19 during the routine testing at the quarantine facility in Port Vila on Sunday.

The Government’s Public Relations Officer in the Prime Minister’s Office, Fred Vurobaravu said they want to know why the passengers were allowed on the flight given New Caledonia has cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19.

The French overseas territory has been under a lockdown since early September, due to the worsening Covid-19 crisis.

The two cases are passengers who traveled to Vanuatu from Noumea, New Caledonia last Friday.

The travelers were part of 18 who had earlier tested negative for Covid and were cleared to travel to Vanuatu.

The Ministry of Health said none of them showed any signs or symptoms of Covid-19.

The ministry said urgent additional tests are being carried out on the remaining 16 passengers.

All of them are in a government-run facility where they are undertaking 14-days of mandatory quarantine.

The exercise will run from Sunday 31 October – Monday, 1 November 2021.

The implementation of the containment measures as part of the simulation exercise are aimed at testing the Covid-19 preparedness efforts of individuals, communities, organizations and government institutions that provide frontline defense and response to this deadly disease.

The National Advisory Board (NAB) on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Acting manager, Florence Iautu said the board decided that delegates are to refrain from travelling abroad to attend the global climate summit.

The Government will be physically represented by its Ambassador in Geneva, Sumbe Antas and a representative from the Vanuatu Embassy in Brussels, Iautu said.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reports preparations are being done for Vanuatu to join discussions virtually.

This year’s COP, which will be held from November 1 to 12, will not be the same.

Wang made the remarks at the first China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Beijing via video link.

He said the bilateral relationship between China and the Pacific Island countries has shown a good development momentum, and the comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to deepen.

Relations between the two sides are based on mutual respect and equity, Wang said.

The case flew from Rotorua and arrived in Blenheim on Thursday. They were tested upon arrival after developing a sore throat.

"The initial test, including a follow-up swab, returned a weak positive result."

The ministry said the case is now isolating awaiting the results of further testing.

The case is considered low risk, due to their likely late stage of infection.

The ministry said initial case interviews suggested the case was linked to the Te Awamutu cluster.

New measures include a ban on church services and public gatherings as well as limits on businesses and school students.

The latest spike in cases is raising questions over whether Papua New Guinea's national elections next year, should still go ahead.

But political observers warn that any postponement to polling would set a dangerous precedent for PNG.

Divine Word University political scientist Dr Joe Ketan said some countries have cited public health as a reason to postpone an election.

However, the Ministry of Health recorded 22 new cases of the virus.

MOH’s Permanent Secretary Dr James Fong said 54.1 percent of the target population are considered fully vaccinated nationwide.

Dr. Fong added that the test positivity rate sits at four percent which is below the World Health Organization’s five percent threshold.

38 COVID cases are currently hospitalized.

Of these, two are considered severe cases while another is in critical condition.