Island that stayed Covid free for whole pandemic hit by virus after first flight lands
An island nation which remained Covid-free for the entirety of the pandemic has recorded dozens of cases after reopening its borders for the first time in 10 months.
Kiribati confirmed that 36 out of 54 passengers on a plane from Fiji tested positive after landing on January 14 – the first aircraft to land after restrictions were lifted four days earlier.
As a result, the 64,000 people who live in the capital will be thrown into lockdown for at least four days next Monday.
Just 34 per cent of the Pacific nation’s 119,000-strong population are double-jabbed, according to World Health Organisation data.
Radio Kiribati reported that the flight was privately chartered by the Mormon Church, although other sources claimed it was a commercial Fiji Airways jet.
While Fiji is in the midst of a third wave of Covid cases, how the passengers caught the virus is a mystery.
All were quarantined for two weeks before the flight and underwent regular testing.
They were supposed to only be allowed to board if they returned negative tests, The Guardian reported.
The infected passengers were all quickly quarantined and are recovering well, according to authorities.
But the government decided to act after the virus began spreading into the community via a security guard at the quarantine centre.
For most of next week, schools will be closed people will only be allowed to leave to access essential services.
Meanwhile, Samoa announced lockdown restrictions after a similar experience following the opening of its borders.
Samoa had only recorded two cases since the coronavirus pandemic began, but around 15 new cases have been linked to repatriation flight from Australia.
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