TONGA and Vava’u returns to a red traffic light national lockdown on Sunday effective at 5:01am until 5:00am Saturday, March 26.
The Cabinet decision for a one-week hard lockdown is to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 virus as the total number of Covid cases reaches 2788 today with 1,819 active cases and three reported recent deaths, all covid related.
However the number of cases as of today, Monday 21st of March has reached 3,418. 1327 have recovered and 2082 active cases.
The first dose vaccination now stands at 98 percent, 90 percent for the second dose and 47 percent for the booster shots.
This was announced during a weekly Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku and Cabinet’s press conference with the media on Friday.
The Hon. Prime Minister told media the Cabinet’s decision is to enable health officials to recuperate and deal with the rising number of Covid cases especially the need to catch up with the contact and community tracing.
The new lockdown restrictions includes closing of all businesses and commercial banks. All government services will be closed except for the essential services.
A new curfew is in place from 8:00am – 8:00pm where people are only allowed to seek medical help from the pharmacy, clinics, and the hospital. Subsistence farming and fishing is allowed as well.
Meanwhile the health authorities are urging the public to stay home, wear facial mask when out and about, wash hands and when feeling ill, take Panadol and drink water and isolate at home. The people are also advised not to hesitate to visit the hospital if severely ill.