Solomon Islands

The game was played in unusual circumstances, with both teams assured of making the semi-finals, due to the Cook Islands and Vanuatu unfortunately having to pull out of the tournament during the week.

This takes the total number of cases since January to more than 9,000.

There have been 120 deaths related to Covid infections, according to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

On Saturday the government announced that churches, bars and night-clubs in the Honiara Emergency zone will stay shut, except for casinos.

This comes as Covid-19 rips through Solomon Islands, especially in the capital.

As of late last week there were more than 4,000 cases in the country and at least 50 deaths.

Mr Wale claims the exemption for the casinos is purely political to support businesses with links to the government.

He asks how casinos can be any different from churches in terms of helping spread Covid.

It takes to 81 the number of cases in the country, which until this week had had just a handful of people with the virus.

The cases are spread throughout the country with Ontong Java and parts of Guadalcanal in lockdown.

The outbreak began with the illegal entry of a vessel from Papua New Guinea to Ontong Java last week.

That vessel delivered at least 23 cases of Covid-19.

The virus has since spread to Guadalcanal, prompting a lockdown in Honiara that is due to finish tomorrow morning.

Solomons Business Magazine reports after two years of keeping the virus from entering the community, Sogavare pronounced in his much awaited special address after 10am today that the virus has finally entered the community.

Yesterday Sogavare announced that there was a community transmission in Pelau in Malaita Outer Island after a PNG medical illegally crossed the border from Mortlock Island to attend a wedding on “our side of border.”

Six people in the remote atoll of Malaita Outer Island were tested positive for the virus according to the report by SBM.

 The travelers left Gizo on Saturday destined for Shortland Islands on a ray boat when they encountered strong winds on their way.

Sibere Tauroa from Taro Police who is supervising a search operation for the missing boat, said two of the passengers are a nine year old and a four year old child.

Mr Tauroa told SIBC News the boat along with another boat left Gizo and travelled alongside each other destined for the Shortland Islands.

In a statement, the Defense Force said just under 60 of its personnel, around 80 Navy crew members and 11 police are part of New Zealand's team on the ground.

The HMNZS Wellington has been patrolling the waters around Guadalcanal.

New Zealand's presence is expected to last into early January or when stabillity has been established.

Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji also have police and military personnel on the ground in Solomon Islands.

Responding to local media reports of a group threatening to "unleash a second wave" on the already damaged city police commissioner Mostyn Mangau said investigations were already underway and that the threat is being treated as a matter of national security.

"Police will not tolerate any armed groups or criminals who are taking the opportunity to plan their crimes to threaten the sovereignty of this nation."

Late last month political unrest descended into three days of looting and burning on the streets of the capital causing over $SBD500 million worth of damage.

The decision to deploy the HMNZS Wellington to the mission was not formally announced by the Government or the Defence Force.

The armed offshore patrol vessel left the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland just before 7:30pm on Monday with a crew of 80 and a Seasprite helicopter on board.

A Defence Force spokesman said it would arrive in the waters of the Solomons later in the week, where it would take over patrolling from an Australian ship.

It was moved by the leader of the opposition Matthew Wale after major political unrest in the capital last month saw three days of rioting, looting and burning of businesses and properties in Honiara.

During the debate on the motion Mr Wale made multiple allegations of corruption against the prime minister, accusing Mr Sogavare of using money from foreign loggers and China to secure his support in the house.

In response Mr Sogavare challenged him to prove them in court.