COVID-19

LATAM becomes largest airline so far to be pushed to bankruptcy by COVID-19

The filing highlights the financial weakness of South America's carriers, following a similar bankruptcy earlier this month by the region's second largest airline, Avianca.

But unlike Avianca, which experienced management turmoil and losses, Chile's LATAM posted profits for the last four consecutive years totaling more than US$700 million. LATAM had also approved a dividend payment this year, in contrast to other carriers that have halted payouts.

Fears Vanuatu citizens stranded in Australia could soon become unlawful

Melanie MacFarlane is a migration agent based in Australia, and grew up in Vanuatu as a child.

She has been assisting Pacific islanders stuck in Australia during the pandemic, who are unable to return home because of border closures.

"My concern is that their visas are expiring very shortly," Ms Macfarlane said.

"In fact when I spoke to one just recently his sister's visas actually expired over a month ago...she is unlawful at the moment which is not a good position to be in at all."

US suspends travel from Brazil for foreigners

The South American nation recently became the world's second major hotspot for coronavirus cases.

Brazil currently has more than 347,300 confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

A White House spokeswoman said the restrictions would help ensure new cases are not brought into the US.

"Today's action will help ensure foreign nationals who have been in Brazil do not become a source of additional infections in our country," White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement.

More residents repatriated to Tahiti after Covid-19 wait in France

The French High Commission said the chartered Air Tahiti Nui plane carried, apart from freight, returning residents and members of mobile police squad who would be quarantined in the barracks.

Four more such flights are planned until the end of June when scheduled airline services are expected to resume.

Hundreds of residents remain stranded in France, with no additional plans to accelerate their return.

Meanwhile, the government eased restrictions on the sale of alcohol so designated wine shop and liquor outlets can open except for Sunday afternoons.

29 Covid-19 cases on Ecuadorian ship off Tahiti

The ship, the Charo, which had been at sea for a month, had anchored in an uninhabited bay off Nuku Hiva yesterday where doctors tested all sailors.

One of the crew was flown by the French military from Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas to the main hospital in Tahiti in an operation which also involved the urgent medical aid service, SAMU, and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Tahiti.

A government statement said the patient, who was described as a suspected Covid-19 case, was put on reanimation and kept in isolation to protect other patients.

UNICEF calls for action to ensure children can survive to thrive

The head of the UN Children's Agency, UNICEF, said as the world struggles to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, a child survival crisis looms in the months ahead.

Henrietta Fore said already fragile health systems were growing weaker with lockdowns disrupting critical health services including vaccinations.

Ms Fore said with a global recession fast approaching, many children could fall below the poverty line.

Eleven more Covid-19 cases in Guam takes total to 165

Yesterday 64 samples were tested with 11 positive results returned.

The Governor's Press Secretary, Krystal Paco-San Agustin, said the public still needed to remain cautious.

"Please stay home. If you don't have to go out. Please stay home. Stop the spread and save lives," she said.

"The Joint Information Centre will have more information on these individuals, these new positive cases, when we receive the epidemiological profiles.

"Again 11 new cases brings Guam's Covid count to 165."

Brazil's daily death toll hits 1,000 for first time

The country has 271,628 confirmed cases but the true number is likely to be higher because of insufficient testing.

Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down the risks of Covid-19.

On Tuesday he again defended use of the unproven drug chloroquine as a remedy, despite alerts it may be unsafe.

Mr Bolsonaro's repeated defiance of public health expert advice on Covid-19 has led to the resignation of two trained doctors as health minister in the past month.

Australia redirects $US65m to Pacific

The halt in tourism caused by border closures, cuts to remittances and seasonal worker programmes and other effects of Covid-19 have been devastating for many Pacific economies.

The funding will be redirected from the existing aid programme, and the government says it will provide respite for Pacific governments.

A fifth of the money will go to Papua New Guinea, with the rest to be shared among nine other countries.

     

Repatriation Plan for stranded Vanuatu citizens overseas

The development of the repatriation plan came following a Council of Ministers’ (COM) recommendation to have such a plan for Vanuatu, which was endorsed by the National Disaster Committee (NDC).

NDMO Director Abraham Nasak advised that the COM had made a recommendation for a repatriation plan for all stranded citizens overseas, which the NDC has already endorsed.

“Currently the Advisory Team is working on the details of the repatriation plan and once this is complete the following process is to be followed,” he explained.