By Staff Writer
The highest death risks in Samoa from the COVID 19 pandemic so far is in the elderly age group of 50 and above years or 16 per cent of the population.
The 2020 population census recorded more than 215,000 people in Samoa and just over 35,000 are those in the most vulnerable age bracket.
It is now going on 6 weeks since the pandemic virus broke out into the general community on the 17 March 2022, and COVID related deaths have claimed 13 lives already.
Most are in the more populated Upolu Is with only a few from Savaii and it has been mostly men who have fallen victim to the virus.
The pandemic virus has, however, reached Manono Is. with 5 confirmed cases reported between the 18th – 19th of April 2022.
Manono Is with their isolated location had remained free of the COVID along with neighbouring island Apolima, which is now the only inhabited island free from the virus.
Residential locations closer to Apia at Faleata on the west and Vaimauga on the east have the highest number of COVID cases in Upolu.
The Ministry of Health statistics noted that the count per residential area drops the further away the location is from Apia.
For Savai’i, the residential areas at Fa’asaleleaga and Palauli have the most number of confirmed COVID cases.
The pandemic count is similar to Upolu Is where it is highest on locations closer to the township and in the case of Savaii Is. Fa’asaleleaga and Palauli are closer to the Salelologa Township on the big island.
The further away from Salelologa, however, the smaller the infection count.
Vaccination has been high in the 18 years and above age group for first and second doses moving closer to within reach of the targetted population of 122, 000.
The same updated count up to the 19th April 2022 showed a similar close in reach for doses administered to the 12-17 year old age group with a target population of about 28,000.
For the 5-11 year olds the first dose is almost within reach of the 41 thousand targetted population of the young age group.
Second dose is just starting up with only 13,000 administered so far.
The Ministry of Health graph of the virus rate of transmission as of the 19th April 2022, showed the 0-4 year old age group to have the highest number of positive cases.
The rate is higher than positive cases tested for children in the age group of 5 years old up to 14 years old.
The health call for vaccination has taken a serious twist as the call by Government for people to learn to live with COVID, has increased the risks of infection.
Public movements are basically restored to pre-COVID times with business returning to normal operating hours along with the public service.