By Staff Writer
Blood samples sent to New Zealand for tests have confirmed the two suspected cases who tested positive for the coronavirus in Samoa do carry the virus.
But the Director General Of Health. Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, firmly reassured that the tests results showed the viruses in the carriers are dying or dead already and are non-infectious and incapable of spreading.
Leausa also confirmed that the follow up health enquiries made on the 23 year old seafarer who traveled to Samoa from Italy and the 70 year man who returned from Melbourne, Australia, were both infected.
The seafarer was infected last May in Italy and the 70 year old in August in Melbourne.
“The antibodies in the blood sample showed the viral count is going down which show the viruses are dead or dying,” Leausa explained.
The positive cases travelled to Samoa on the 13 November repatriation flight from New Zealand and all of the 274 passengers tested negative.
An additional 7 days were added to the standard 14 days isolation of all the travellers when the two cases were tested positive.
All kept in isolation were the frontline workers who were present at the arrival of the flight and have already tested negative.
New health related travel conditions are to be imposed starting next year that will include official declaration from travelers that they were infected by the virus.
The update on the test results sent to New Zealand were announced in a NEOC press conference late this afternoon.
More from the press conference to follow.