George Garry, 47, died at 5.10 a.m. local time. He was a wood carver.
At a press conference called by the Festival Organizing Committee, Dr. Ivan Tuliau, medical director of the American Samoan Department of Health, said the presumed cause of death was cerebral malaria.
He said John Hui, the doctor traveling with the Solomon Islands delegation and staying at the same accommodation venue, was informed of Garry’s illness shortly before 4 a.m.
After assessing the severity of his condition, Hui called the emergency medical service to transfer Garry to the hospital.
Sadly, he died before reaching the hospital despite intensive resuscitation efforts.
Dr. Ivan Tuliau said to his knowledge, Garry had not complained of any symptoms until shortly before Hui was called.
He said Garry would have contracted the disease before arriving in American Samoa as the malaria-transmitting mosquito is not present here.
A short church service was held yesterday morning. It was attended by Togiola Tulafono, governor of American Samoa, and board members of the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts Organizing Committee.
The co-chairman of the organizing committee, Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde, said the government of American Samoa will take care of all necessary arrangements for the deceased.
The body will be flown back to Solomon Islands with the delegation, which is traveling on a charter flight currently scheduled to depart American Samoa after the festival on Monday, Aug. 3.
Yesterday, the Solomon Islands delegation did not take part in the festival program.
However, the program continued as planned for all other participating countries.
