THE State of Emergency restrictions imposed due to coronavirus pandemic has been extended for six months from September 12 until March 12, 2021.

The Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa made the announcement in Parliament this morning.

He also reported that Tonga remains a COVID-19 free country. Last week he announced that all 71 passengers from repatriation flights from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu were tested negative for coronavirus.

Meanwhile another repatriation flight from Christchurch has been planned for the end of the month to return stranded seasonal workers in New Zealand. Planned flights from Auckland have been halted due to more recent reported cases in Auckland.

At the same time, work is underway for constructing buildings at Makeke tom help house returning stranded Tongans overseas thanks to the Latter Days Saints Church’s generosity effort due to COVID-19.