Ministry of Health

In the last three weeks, several children suspected to have measles have been under observation.

But Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma said all blood tests that have returned from New Zealand have come back negative.

The health ministry is awaiting on the remainder of those results but Dr Ekeroma expects the lastest cases will also prove to be negative on the basis that more children would have presented to the emergency department with symptoms.

Aiono said the 2019 outbreak that killed 83 people was off the back of an outbreak in Auckland.

“There will always be some shortages as also seen in New Zealand,” says Health Director Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma.

He revealed that the reasons can be, “shortages of raw materials, getting it here on time, and speed of payments.”

When asked about what has been done to address this issue, Aiono said, “many meetings discussing many options and more planned.”

Furthermore, the Director General explained that shipments are received every week and essential drugs are already stocked.

“Still waiting on some drugs that are needed for specific cases.”

The Ministry of Health said the cases were recorded in the past seven days.

MOH also recorded a total of 288 cases that were unreported from the lab in March 2022.

There were a cumulative total of 192 positive cases detected at the Port of Entry since November 2022.

The ministry also recorded a cumulative total of 16,402 positive Covid-19 cases since the first community transmission was detected in 17 March, 2022.

The Samoa Observer reported that Minister of Health Valasi Tafito Selesele addressed the issue in parliament, in response to a request from Vaa-o-Fonoti MP Mau'u Siaosi Puepuemai for a new hospital at Fagaloa.

Valasi said during an inspection of the facility he was surprised at what he found.

"When I was on my inspections around government hospitals, I have seen that the facility was filled with grass, and looks like an animal farmhouse because there were cows there," he told parliament.

The ministry said some of these options include a dialysis mobile unit as well as distributing dialysis machines to each of the country's district hospitals.

Health Minister, Valasi Tafito Selesele said Ministry is currently awaiting a response from a Cabinet Special Committee to their request for 30 more dialysis machines for the health sector.

The request was made by the Ministry prior to a recommendation from the Opposition Member of Parliament for Aleipata Itupa‑i‑Luga, Fuaava Suluimalo Amataga during the sitting of the House.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that this is a drop from the nine cases recorded in the previous weekly situational report.

MOH said, “The results came from both PCR and rapid antigen test - RAT from all sites with the cumulative number of Covid-19 positive cases (border and community cases) climbing to 16,008.”

“From 2pm 18 December 2022 to 2pm 25 December 2022, the Ministry recorded nine positive cases from all sites as well.”

A total of 15,816 Covid-19 positive cases were detected in the last year since the first community transmission was reported.

Talamua Online reports there are only two qualified radiologists but one of them, Dr Glen Fatupaito, is acting Director General of Health.

The new scanner will relieve the need to send patients to New Zealand and American Samoa at great expense.

Dr Fatupaito said there's been a dramatic increase in the number of patients needing CT scans a year.

Acting director general of health, Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen, said the numbers of people with the flu are those who have sought help from doctors or hospitals in the past three weeks.

Dr Thomsen expects a surge in cases once Samoa's border opens to international travellers from August 1st.

He said the presence of dengue fever has also been recorded in Samoa - with six cases confirmed in June - but he doesn't think Samoa will experience an outbreak.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the new statistics has taken the number of cases (community and border) to 15,178 to date.

MOH also reported that there are two patients isolated at the Moto’otua National Hospital and none in the Intensive Care Unit.

The Ministry said, “In strengthening our defense against the virus, the public is kindly reminded to remain vigilant and adhere to public health advice by continuing to wear facial masks, complying with social distancing, stay home and isolate if one feels unwell, and maintain good personal hygiene at all times.”

The Health Ministry's latest report said 14,315 cumulative cases had been recorded for border and community cases, with eight in managed isolation.

The total number of Covid-19 positive cases admitted to hospital since community transmission on March 17, is 278 admissions and of those, 238 have been discharged home.

The Health Ministry continued to stress vaccination remains the best defense against severe effects of the virus.