Five more new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed by health officials.
This sums it up to 15 new confirmed cases of passengers that arrived in the Country on Wednesday.
An emergency NEOC meeting was held last night and recommended for a lockdown.
There has been no official word from government authorities.
However Cabinet is meeting today at 8am to review the recommendations and make the official announcement.
Cabinet moved to cancel the repatriation flight from New Zealand scheduled for today.
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa on Friday, addressed Parliament noting that due to the recent developments of COVID-19 in Samoa, is looking at suspending repatriation flight scheduled for February and March from Australia, in light of the new developments of the coronavirus in Samoa.
On Friday more than 200 frontliners working at the Airport to service the repatriation flights from Australia underwent testing by the Ministry of Health.
The NEOC is awaiting the results. Afterwards they were sent home to be self isolated.
On Wednesday NEOC says that Samoa remains on level 1, this is despite the handful of positive COVID-19 cases imported by Samoans who arrived on the direct repatriation flight from Brisbane Australia, on Wednesday.
The NEOC in a statement noted they are well aware of the panicky mode in the country however rest assured the national security of the country and our residents is paramount.
The assurance comes from the Government leaders and N.E.O.C. Chairman and Secretary to Government, Agafili Shem Leo.
The statement says that NEOC is keeping a close watch that the containment measures in place will not fail the country.
However the NEOC’s level alert the risk assessments sheet says that Samoa should be on level three when its 10 or more cases, it is a high risk for the Country.
The public document also indicated this is when the State of Emergency restrictions will be enforced and for the public to stay home as well as complete lockdown of borders.
Furthermore the document says that should be a ban on all gatherings; school closure and services by the public and private sector, will all be shutdown, except the essential services and emergency works.
