Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Health director Motusa Tuileama Nua revealed during a virtual news conference yesterday that two employees of StarKist Samoa tested positive over the weekend and the pair was sent home for isolation.

He said these two positives would follow the same protocol already in place for all such cases in isolation.

DoH protocol for those testing positive, as announced in the newly modified declaration, is that the individual is home-isolated for up to 21-days. And isolation means to stay away from other people, this may include others in their home.

Motusa said during the news conference that DoH continues a weekly collaboration with StarKist Samoa, under the cannery’s approved plan which allowed operations to resume last Friday.

He said that two cannery nurses have been trained to conduct tests and that this week’s meeting with StarKist is set for Thursday morning.

Early in the news conference, DoH’s Dr. Elizabeth Lauvao revealed the latest COVID-19 community spread update. And as of Mar. 13, total cumulative counts is 555 confirmed community cases, 0 deaths, and 175 treated with therapeutics.

Of the overall total count, 63 have recovered — which means 14 days have passed since testing positive for COVID-19, and they are asymptomatic. Additionally, there are 492 active cases. And there are no deaths relating to COVID-19 reported from LBJ Medical Center.

Just for Mar. 13 alone, 28 individuals tested positive — all tested at LBJ Medical Center, as DoH stood down operations on Sundays.

“With the quick spread of COVID-19 on the island, all families are encouraged to prepare by having at least a two week-supply of food, clothing, and other necessary items and by asking someone outside the home to run important errands for the household,” said DoH.

Local and federal officials who participated in the virtual news conference once again urged the community to get vaccinated and get the booster dose as the community spread continues to surge on Tutuila island.

As of Mar. 13, about 81.7% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated, with 43% with booster shots.

Samoa News will report tomorrow on other issues raised during the news conference.