COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Pacific

The number of people with COVID-19 in the Pacific continues to climb with French Polynesia hitting 40 cases, Guam now over 90 and the US state of Hawai’i suffering its third coronavirus death.

In the last day, another person tested positive for COVID-19 in French Polynesia.

However the number of carriers in hospital was unchanged at one. In the US territory of Guam six positive tests have taken the number of cases there to 93.

Four people have died there, two confirmed during the weekend.

The official count for the territory does not include the more than 155 cases that are reported to have occurred on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is docked in Guam. Earlier the commander of the coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier was stood down after he issued a memo pleading for help from Washington DC, one which quickly became public.

Meanwhile, the US state of Hawai’i suffered its third death from COVID-19 with an elderly O’ahu resident, who had been hospitalised in critical condition on life support for several weeks after travelling to Washington, the latest to die from the virus. Hawai’i currently has at least 319 cases.

New Caledonia’s tally of COVID-19 cases is again reported to be 18. Another case had been recorded after the retesting of a separate presumed carrier returned a negative result. For a day the number of confirmed cases had dropped to 17. Meanwhile, the president, Thierry Santa, has moved into self-isolation after a member of his crisis management team tested positive for the coronavirus.

Last Friday, the president of the Southern Province Sonia Backes said one of her close work associates tested positive to the COVID-19 virus and was in hospital. Feedback: rosi.doviverata@fijisun.com.fj