The kingdom’s largest prison is clear of active COVID-19 cases Thursday after 256 inmates and staff recovered, the Prison boss reported.
The clearing of cases occurred about a month after the first inmate case was reported in February at the Hu’atolitoli jail. At its peak early this month, 260 active inmate and employee cases were reported.
Tomorrow, Friday 25, it is expected 256 people were released from MIQs leaving only four patients to complete their 14-day isolation period, the Prison Chief Executive Sēmisi Tapueluelu told FM 87.5 Broadcom this morning.
Tapueluelu said he was glad that the prison was “cleared”.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health reported yesterday Wednesday 23 nine people as having died with Covid.
Hon Saia Piukala said three people died of Covid related causes while six died after being tested positive but they had underlying health conditions.
There were 390 new cases of Covid yesterday in Tonga, the Minister told a virtual press conference.
There were 4174 confirmed cumulative cases including 4065 in Tongatapu and 108 in Vava’u.
There was a total of 1545 recovered cases. Vava’u had 42 people recovered, nine in MIQs and 57 had been in self isolation.
There were 2620 active cases yesterday in Tonga.
There were 126 stranded Ha’apai residents repatriated this week from Tongatapu and 29 of them had tested positive. They are in MIQs in Ha’apai.
There were 119 international returnees released from MIQs yesterday leaving only 16 people required to have further isolation, the Minister said.
The large proportion of recent positive cases which is 1812 are between the ages of 20 and 39. Three children under one month old, 51 under one year old had tested positive but they had been recovered.
The Minister said 86 cases of Covid had been at the age of 70s and over.
