More COVID-19 cases reported in Tonga, Samoa

SUVA, April 4 (Xinhua) -- More COVID-19 cases have been reported in Tonga and Samoa in recent days.

Tonga's Minister for Health Saia Piukala said on Monday that from last Thursday to Sunday, Tonga reported 688 new COVID-19 cases, Tonga's news website Matangi Tonga Online reported.

Tonga has so far reported a total of 7,234 COVID-19 cases with 2,303 active cases and nine deaths.

Currently, 90 percent of the target population in Tonga have received their second doses while 98 percent have received their first doses. 49 percent of the target population have received their booster shots.

Meanwhile, in another South Pacific island nation of Samoa, the COVID-19 cases continue to rise with 164 new cases recorded over the past day.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the total number of COVID-19 cases in Samoa is 2,443, of which, 1,514 are active cases, according to the newspaper Samoa Observer on Monday.

Currently, Samoa has recorded two COVID-19 related deaths with the first death reported on March 30.

The ministry also confirmed that a total of 23,419 rapid antigen tests has been administered in the island nation.

Samoa reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in February last year.

The island nation is now in Alert Level 3 nationwide lockdown which went into effect on March 17.