American Samoa

The department's health advisory said according to recent sequencing results, the Omicron sub variants of BQ1.1, BQ1.1.24 and CH 1.1.3 are present.

RNZ Pacific reports the advisory says as of the period of January 16-22, there were five active Covid cases in the community.

It says if a person was symptomatic but tested negative initially, it is recommended to perform a second rapid antigen test 48 hours later.

Photo file      

The man from Portland, Oregon and employed by a local company, was working outside of the Starkist Samoa cannery, in Pago Pago Harbour.

The acting Chief Medical Officer of the LBJ Hospital, Dr Akapusi Ledua told KHJ News the man had a significant number of deep bites on his left leg and suffered significant blood loss.

He was operated on for over four hours, and is now a stable condition.

Arrangements are underway to evacuate him for further continuing care, likely back in Portland, Oregon.

In a letter obtained by Radio Polynesia, Moefaauo Bill Emmsley said that to address the Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital's shortage-of-nursing conundrum, several plans were hatched.

He said that included recruiting from those two countries and elsewhere as a stop-gap measure.

Moefaauo said last month that a review of the curriculum used at the NUS nursing programme is not up to par with US licensing standards for nurses and this would be a challenge to acquire US certification for nurses from Samoa.

The magnitude of the earthquakes range from 2.0 and 3.8 on the Richter scale.

According to the Met service, the earthquakes were located about 150 kilometres southeast of Apia at a depth of about 10 km.

There were similar magnitude earthquakes recorded yesterday.

However, there were no threats of a tsunami in either of the recordings.

Recent increased earthquake activities in the Samoan archipelago has attracted the attention of the U.S Geological Survey and other authorities from American Samoa.

The governor's declaration which covers the entire territory is effective as of August 10, when the Emergency Operation Centers were activated by local authorities and follows Lemanu's site visit to Manu'a this week.

"The facts and evidence that have been gathered so far have supported a compelling reason to prioritise the protection of life and property," he said.

"By signing this Executive Order, I want to ensure that all local resources are made available to respond efficiently and effectively in case these eruptions worsen.

The National Disaster Committee said Vailulu’u is a conical seamount, the youngest and eastern most volcano in the Samoan archipelago.

The NDC said Samoa Meteorology Office is monitoring a continuing earthquake swarm occurring in the Manu’a islands of American Samoa.

“This cluster of earthquakes is most likely related to Vailulu’u seamount and or nearby submarine volcanoes in the American Samoa region.”

Director of homeland security, Samana Semo Ve'ave'a, said a team also would be arriving next week to install seismic monitoring equipment in Manu'a waters.

Small tremors continued to be felt last night at Fitiuta village - the first being reported on Tuesday afternoon with locals attributing the shaking to the underwater Vailulu'u seamount near Ta'u island.

People in Olosega have also reported hearing roaring and deep pitched tones as well as feeling quick tremors.

The US Geological Survey said earthquakes have been felt over the past few days and they are ongoing.

The agency said the quakes may be caused by a volcano, but a large eruption like the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai in January is extremely unlikely.

The territory's Emergency Operations Centre was activated in response to reports from residents of Ta'u and Ofu islands in the Manu'a group of the grounds shaking.

The first shakes were reported at 3pm local time on Tuesday with the last reports at 11pm that day.

Repatriating prisoners from the Tafuna Correctional Facility in American Samoa was one of the issues the two Governments discussed during the Atoa of Samoa meetings last week.

The two Samoas discussed the importance of improving processes for repatriating criminals.

The proposal to change the name was tabled by American Samoa Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and his administration and it was unanimously endorsed by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa leading Samoa’s delegation.

The two-day meeting was held in American Samoa from Wednesday to Friday.

Savali newspaper reports the two-day brainstorming also approved for Samoa to host the second round of Atoa o Samoa talks in September to coincide with celebrations of Samoa’s 60th Independence Anniversary festivities.