The Minister of Health, Dr Saia Piukala, has confirmed that the Ministry of Health is now ready to use the ‘Tonga ‘a Tautolu’ Covid-19 contact training app, following initial tests that were conducted over the last month.
“We are ready now to have members of the public download contact tracing app to prepare ourselves as there are now more variants coming out around the globe. This app will help us in tracing those who might be positive and the plan is to have this working by next (this) week,” Dr Piukala said at a press conference.
“We know that the local cases are dropping but this will be useful for us as we continue to move forward with Covid-19.”
In the past two weeks, daily positive cases have remained at less than 100, with 63 new cases reported from Tongatapu, Vava’u, Ha’apai and Niuafo’ou in the last 24 hours.
Dr Piukala confirmed three news positive cases have been recorded in Niaufo’ou, these from islanders returning to the island.
Vaccination rates stand at 98 per cent for 1st dose, 91 per cent for 2nd dose, 58 per cent for Booster doses and 31 per cent for children aged five to 11 years old.
Current active cases being monitored around the country stands at 871.
Dr Piukala also confirmed that there were 422 passengers brought into the country on repatriation flights from Australia, Fiji and New Zealand this week.
More repatriation fights are planned for June.
Photo file Caption: Minister of Health, Dr Saia Piukala