APIA (Samoa Observer/Pacnews) — Health authorities in Samoa have recorded 125 new community cases to push the country’s total Covid-19 cases to 1,364.
In an update on active community cases released, Ministry of Health data state that there are 1,288 active community cases out of 1,364 total cases.
The data from the ministry was collected up to 2 p.m. Monday, March 28.
Approximately 96% of active community cases have been confirmed in Upolu with four per cent in Savai’i with the smaller islands of Manono-Tai and Apolima-Tai currently Covid-19 free. A breakdown of Covid-19 positive cases by locality shows Upolu with 1,315 cases followed by Savai’i with 49.
MOH data also shows that 57% of community cases are women with 43% men with disaggregated data by age group showing that the prevalence of Covid-19 infection is “significantly higher” among those aged 15–35.
According to the Ministry, a total of 16,842 rapid antigen tests have been administered by health workers to date since the first community case was detected on March 17.
Currently, there are three active cases in the isolation ward at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital, Moto’otua. There are no cases in the hospital’s intensive care unit nor any deaths recorded.
In terms of community cases by age group, people within the 25–29 age bracket currently lead with 192 cases, followed by 15–19 years of age (154 cases), 20–24 (152 cases) and 30–34 (136 cases). For children, those aged 0– four years have recorded 62 cases and five to nine years of age 27 cases. As for the elderly aged 65-plus a total of 56 cases have so far been recorded.
Authorities have continued to express concern at the absence of social distancing during the two days of the lockdown last week, which gave residents a six-hour window to access essential services and replenish their stock. On Monday evening the government announced that it will increase the days for the public to restock their supplies to three days a week during lockdown effective Tuesday, March 29.
