Covid death toll rises to seven in Samoa

Samoa's Ministry of Health has confirmed four new Covid-19-related deaths taking the total number of deaths since the start of community transmission last month to seven.

The Ministry said the latest Covid deaths are males - a 56-year-old who was bedbound, a 69-year-old diabetic on dialysis, a 59-year-old with heart complications and a 74-year-old man with no known pre-existing condition.

The Ministry said the death toll is subject to change following full verification of all reported covid-19 deaths.

There have been 342 new community cases and three new cases detected at the border.

This brings the cumulative number of Covid cases in Samoa to 3,602 since community transmission was detected on March 17.

Three critical cases are in ICU and seven cases are in managed isolation at the Tupua Tamasese Mea-ole hospital.

Meanwhile, the Samoan government has extended a state of emergency by four weeks.