Vanuatu's second COVID-19 patient has fully recovered and has been discharged from the Isolation Ward after receiving medical clearance.
Additional assessment has confirmed the virus is no longer active in the patient’s body and therefore poses no risk of COVID-19 infection to anyone else, said Minister of Health, Silas Bule.
There have been two COVID-19 cases in isolation since October. These two cases were detected following their arrival on a flight from New Caledonia on 22 October. The first patient was released on 26 November.
Due to the recovery of this case, Efate and offshore islands now return to Alert Level 0 (low risk) due to no more active cases, said Minister Bule.
Vanuatu has recorded a total of five COVID-19 active cases since the pandemic in March 2021. All of these cases have been successfully managed in quarantine and isolation. There has been no community transmission.
Minister Bule emphasised the importance of vaccination to reduce hospitalisation and death from COVID-19.
So far, over 57 percent of Vanuatu’s adult population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and over 27 percent have been fully vaccinated.
Minister Bule said: “As we progress towards our vaccination target of at least 90% of adults protected with one dose and at least 70 percent protected with two doses nationwide by March 2022, it is important that momentum is maintained.
“There is no better time to get vaccinated than now, as we continue to work towards the safe re-opening of our borders to international travellers in 2022.
“Together we can ensure economic recovery whilst protecting the health of everyone throughout the country,” he said.