A pleasant good afternoon to you all, Samoa.
As of this afternoon, Cabinet was advised that five (5) more new positive cases have been identified in quarantine, taking the number of positive cases to 20. These five cases are frontline workers who are servicing the Isolation Unit at Motootua hospital and monitoring the fifteen individuals who had tested positive since Saturday last week. All 20 cases are asymptomatic. The swab tests for all 281 people including passengers and frontline workers in quarantine sites continue this afternoon with results expected this afternoon or tomorrow morning. There is still no evidence of community transmission.
In view of the importance of continuing a robust testing schedule for passengers and frontline workers in quarantine over the next few days, Cabinet has considered and approved the recommendations from the Disaster Advisory Committee to extend the period for the nationwide lockdown from 6pm this evening to 6pm on Thursday 27th January 2022.
While the country will undergo a 72 hours lockdown, the shops, supermarkets, cash power outlets, markets, banks and money transfers and pharmacies will be opened from 8am to 2pm on Tuesday 25th January and Thursday 27th January to allow the country to replenish supplies for the rest of the lockdown period. There are conditions prescribed for the partial opening of these services. These include the mandatory wearing of facial masks, social distancing, showing of vaccination cards and no children under 12 are allowed in these public places.
Despite these arrangements, should developments change and there is evidence of community transmission, Cabinet will reconsider its position and advise the public accordingly.
Government asks for your patience and support in keeping Samoa safe. God bless.
