Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — More local residents have tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 virus, as community spread widens.

In a health advisory issued late last night, the Health Department says that on Feb. 24, a total of 22 out of 301 people tested positive at its testing locations. This brings the total number of community active cases to 44; double the previous count.

Of the 22 individuals who tested positive on Feb. 24, 15 were fully vaccinated, 6 were unvaccinated, and 1 was ineligible — under 5-years old.

The Feb. 24 confirmed cases were identified in the following villages: one case at Fa’ilolo; one at Faleniu, two from Ili’ili; 12 from Nu’uuli; 4 at Tafuna and 2 from Vaitogi.

“DOH is continuing to monitor these cases. If you have been in contact with someone who tested positive OR if you are experiencing any of the symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, new loss of taste or smell visit the Tafuna, Amouli, and Leone health centers to get tested,” the health advisory says.

The latest new positives reported yesterday (Feb. 24) brings the total of the community spread cases to 44 so far — with 22 total positives announced previously during the DoH news conference yesterday morning.

DoH said testing sites will be open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm. IF you are fully vaccinated, you should feel better over the next 3-5 days. However, if your symptoms continue, please call 219 or 633-5871. A DOH doctor will assess you further.

DOH vaccination clinics will be closed today, Friday but will reopen for a vaccination and testing Drive-Thru on Saturday, February 26 at the Tafuna Airport from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm.

“Please remember prevention measures by practicing good hygiene, keeping a social distance of 6 feet, and wearing a mask,” said DoH in the advisory.

Samoa News will update this story online as new information become available over the weekend.

Yesterday morning’s press conference prior to the latest total count of 44 cases, was led by Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale, who is also chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force.

At that presser, Dr. Aifili J. Tufa, the territory’s lead Epidemiologist at the DoH explained the “testing strategy” now with the limited testing supplies on island, while awaiting additional supplies to arrive soon.

“We are urging the public to be very vigilant, be aware of the situation, protect yourself — wear a face mask, observe social distancing and practice good hand hygiene,” he pointed out.

And, “if you know that you’ve been traveling in the past 14-days, and come in contact with someone that traveled or came into contact with somebody known to have been exposed, or tested positive for COVID-19 — please visit our testing centers so that doctors” can conduct assessments and tests, he said.

He also explained that the “main strategy that we’re doing right now is... to identify those individuals that may be at-risk for severe disease.”

 “We want to identify those individuals so that our doctors can do an assessment whether they fall into the criteria for therapeutic treatment,” he explained.

He said DoH has medication on island, “to give to those individuals at-risk — meaning if you have pre-existing heart conditions, or are 65 years and older. Those are the individuals we really want to have... tested so we can see if you fit the criteria for our therapeutic treatment.”

DoH officials had said during a news conference earlier this week that a department employee who was assigned to a quarantine site during the Jan. 27 flight from Honolulu tested positive on Monday this week as well as seven family members of the employee.

Samoa News notes that the DoH employee and family members live in Leone and attend a church in Nu’uuli, located behind the Aveina store there. And Samoa News received information Wednesday night that at least four individuals who tested positive on Wednesday are associated with the same church, which held a function over the weekend.

One of the media queries during yesterday’s news conference was whether the only source of the community spread came from this particular employee including the family members or if DoH has identified another source.

Dr. Tufa responded, “From what we know, the initial case was from the [DoH] staff member who was isolated on the Feb. 15. We believe that’s how the virus has reached the community. Now, it’s looking very likely that the exposed family were very active at the ending of last week,” into this past weekend and “then exposed other members of the community, especially in Nu’uuli, at the church behind the Aveina store.”

“And from there we believe it spread to a good portion of the population,” he said, and noted that currently there’s no evidence of the virus being in the far-east and far-west of Tutuila but it’s concentrated in the central part of Tutuila.  However, the entire island could be infected as the virus spreads.

“Now is the time for us to come together, as a community — please stay at home if you don’t need to travel. The virus travels with people. If you move around and you have the virus, the virus will move around,” he said.

“If you do suspect that someone in your family has been exposed, take the [person] to the COVID-19 clinics where they will be tested, they will be assessed by our physicians to see if they fit the criteria for treatment,” he pointed out.

Dr. Tufa also shared the latest update on the vaccination campaign and emphasized the importance of being vaccinated and those who are fully vaccinated to get a booster dose.

Of the eleven COVID-19 cases identified on Wednesday, Dr. Tufa said nine are fully vaccinated, and 2 are unvaccinated. For boosters — 10 of the cases had no booster doses and one had a booster shot.

“The virus is now on island and we have to take all steps necessary to protect yourself and also protect your family,” he said.

Call DoH command post at 219 or check their Facebook page for the latest update on vaccination sites and COVID-19 test locations.

FEB. 17 FLIGHT UPDATE

DoH Clinical Service director Dr. Elizabeth Lauvao gave an update on the travelers who arrived on the Feb. 17 flight from Honolulu and are quarantined at three sites.

The first test of the 200-plus travelers was conducted on Feb. 2t and one traveler quarantined at Fatuoaiga tested positive. The other quarantine sites — Tradewinds Hotel and Sadie’s by the Sea had negative tests for all the travelers quarantined there. However, one DoH staffer at Tradewinds tested positive.

The second test for travelers at Fatuoaiga and Sadie’s by the Sea was done on Wednesday and all came back negative. Tests for travelers at Tradewinds was schedule for yesterday and the results were not released at press time.

The traveler who tested positive, along with all quarantine staff — including the one who tested positive — are in isolation at the Alternate Care Facility buildings in Tafuna.

And DoH has a new quarantine staff on duty at Tradewinds Hotel.

Click on attachment below to download press release