Samoa Quarantine

The chairman of the centre, 'Ulu Bismarc Crawley, says these are precautionary measures to safeguard Samoa and the general public.

Around 150 passengers will be on the flight most of them returning Samoan citizens whose travel plans had been affected by the closing of borders in March due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The restrictions to the main areas of the airport have been put in place for 24 hours ending at midnight tonight.

The Faleolo Health Centre, built a few years ago by the US government, has been upgraded for the purpose.

On his weekly radio programme, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said four air conditioned tents had been erected on the grounds of the health centre.

The tents, which were donated by the UN children's agency UNICEF to isolate measles patients, can also be used to quarantine patients suspected of having Covid-19, Tuilaepa said.

The tents are phase one of the government's coronavirus contingency plans, he said.