COVID-19 cases

This weekend is the first 'Super Round' of the competition where the Australian-based sides which include the Fijian Drua, and the New Zealand-based sides including Moana Pasifika, face off for the first time.

All six matches were scheduled to take place at Melbourne's Rectangular Stadium this weekend, but a rash of Covid-19 cases in the Force squad has led to the postponement of Friday's second fixture.

The Ministry of Health has declined to comment further on the case out of respect for the family.

The ministry also recorded 362 new community cases in the same reporting period.

Fifteen cases are in managed isolation and four are critical cases in ICU at the Moto’otua Hospital.

According to the ministry, 120 cases were discharged in the two days.

A total of 45,696 Rapid antigen tests were carried out as well.

Samoa Observer reported Solialofi Papali'I saying "there is no question that nurses have been part of the pandemic from the start, as they put their lives on the line to help protect the people of Samoa."

She added there have been cases reported from Savai'i but the majority of the infections are from Upolu.

Papali'i said testing booths for hospital staff should be set up at hospital gates so they can be tested before and after work.

This brings the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases to 3,602 recorded since 17 March 2022 not including the 63 border related cases.

Three critical cases are in ICU while seven are in managed isolation at the National Hospital.

A one-year-old baby girl is fighting for her life and is currently in an induced coma with severe pneumonia as a result of Covid-19.

RNZ Pacific reports Papalii Dr Tito Kamu has confirmed they are speaking with a paediatrician in New Zealand on how to assist the child.

TV1Samoa reports Deputy Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo saying 80 of the cases are sworn police officers and the rest are unsworn officers and civilian ministry staff.

He said they have now split their numbers to four locations to minimise the spread.

All those infected are being treated in isolation at a special location until they recover and are released to return to duty.

Auapa'au said the situation is manageable and they are looking at contingency plans and re-evaluating the situation.

Photo file Samoa Police 

The city of Shanghai will be locked down in two stages over nine days while authorities carry out Covid-19 testing.

The important financial hub has battled a new wave of infections for nearly a month, although case numbers are not high by some international standards.

Authorities had so far resisted locking down the city of some 25 million people to avoid destabilising the economy.

But after Shanghai recorded its highest daily number of cases on Saturday since the early days of the pandemic, authorities appear to have changed course.

This brings the total number of community cases to 841, with 814 cases confirmed on Upolu and 27 on Savaii.

The Ministry said of the 841 community cases - 827 remain active cases.

The islands of Manono and Apolima remain Covid-19 free.

Seventeen Police officers and civilian staff have tested positive to Covid-19.

TV1 Samoa reports that Assistant Police Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo confirmed this.

Photo: Government of Samoa  Caption: Samoa government extends lockdown 

With Vanuatu already out of the tournament in Qatar, Thursday's clash between Solomon Islands and Tahiti in Doha will now act as a single play-off match to determine the winner and runner-up of Group A, with both teams already assured of a spot in the semi-finals.

If the match is level at the end of 90 minutes, extra time will be played followed by penalties if required.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed 454 cases on Upolu and 13 cases on Savai'i since the first case of community transmission was reported last Thursday.

There are no active cases recorded for the islands of Manono and Apolima.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa has announced the extension of the nationwide alert level 3 lockdown for another two weeks because of the rapid spread of Covid-19.

The health authorities say five patients are in hospital.

The number of active cases has almost halved in the past week and is now 662.

More than 80 percent of those 12 years and older have had two jabs.

Pandemic-related restrictions were further relaxed earlier this month by exempting more people from the obligation to be vaccinated.

There is also no longer a need to show a vaccine pass for domestic travel.