Chairman of the National Emergency Operation Committee, Agafili Shem Leo has confirmed there are six new cases as of this afternoon.
Agafili told Radio Polynesia during an phone interview the new cases has just been confirmed this afternoon and a press statement is forth coming.
“As of this afternoon, we had just received confirmation there’s a total of 26 cases but they are all in managed isolation,” said Agafili.
“A press release is forth coming,” he added.
He said the new cases are passengers from last Wednesday's flight from Australia.
The queries to Agafili prompted after an interview between overseas media outlet Blu TV where Director General Leausa Dr Take Naseri confirmed the new cases, however when contacted by the Radio Polynesia on his cell phone, Leausa hung up the phone.
The interview was also posted on the Ministry of Health's official Facbeook page.
The Radio Polynesia also reached out to Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa as to why the latest update on the COVID-19 cases are being released to the overseas media, neglecting the local media, when in fact the issue at hand deals with Samoa’s health security.
In the meantime Samoa is on its fifth day of lockdown since the increasing number of COVID-19 cases of passengers from Australia. There were initially ten passengers tested positive and another five were added a few days later.
On Monday five frontline nurses looking after the positive cases also tested positive and all are now in isolation at special wards at the national hospital Motootua.
On Monday Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said the five cases are front line workers which prompted the extension of the lockdown to Thursday.
