Here is the latest news about the Covid-19 outbreak across the Pacific.
Three new cases across region
Only three new cases have been recorded across the Pacific this week – excluding Australia, New Zealand and West Papua – taking the total to 277. There have been no new recorded cases in Papua New Guinea, which many feared might become a hotspot. French Pacific territories are gently easing up on social and commercial gatherings, and have finally begun repatriating people stranded both in their territories and overseas.
However, the economic impact of the crisis continues to pose a dire threat to Pacific states. The potential risks are greatest for the tiny, fragile economies that rely heavily on tourism and remittances and are typical in this region.
The idea of a Pacific travel bubble continues to take shape, but is months away at best.
What has happened this week?
Guam: Just one case was reported in the past week. This brings the total to 152. Five people have died. The travails of the US navy continue, however, with the announcement that 13 sailors who were believed to have recovered from the virus, and had twice tested negative, subsequently tested positive.
Northern Mariana Islands: Two new cases were announced in the past week, bringing the total to 21. US army reserve nurses have been deployed to help cope with the virus.
West Papua: The provinces of Papua and West Papua experienced a surge in confirmed cases this week, bringing the total to 488, according to the Jakarta Post. The newspaper reports seven deaths in the provinces.
Papua New Guinea: All eight confirmed cases in PNG have recovered, but it’s far too soon to tell whether the largest Pacific island nation has successfully contained the virus. With Covid-19 apparently in abeyance, some commentators are calling for more attention to be paid to the nation’s chronically under-resourced health systems and the many longstanding challenges it faces.
Fiji: It has been 28 days since the country had a new case. There were only three active cases remaining as of last Friday. The government is still urging vigilance, however, and encouraging the population not to stop physical distancing and wearing masks. The government is planning to launch a contact tracing app, a first for the Pacific. The app appears to be part of an attempt to begin luring Australian tourists back.
What are Pacific governments doing?
Papua New Guinea: The country’s national executive council this week announced a K600million (AU$270m) stimulus package, K100m ($45m) more than it originally planned. The government of China has delivered another 11 tonnes of medical equipment and supplies to combat Covid-19. The prime minister, James Marape, hopes to end the current state of emergency by June.
Bougainville: With the completion of a new isolation and treatment facility, Buka airport has finally been allowed to reopen. The autonomous region continues to provide Covid-19 training to its health workers.
West Papua: The pro-independence Morning Star Media has accused the government of Indonesia of using the Covid-19 epidemic as a pretext to militarise the provinces. It quotes independence leader Benny Wenda, who claims the continued detention of political prisoners in Indonesia’s unsanitary and crowded jails is “political assassination by other means”.
Fiji: The government of Fiji has announced its own CARE Fiji contact tracing app. The software was developed with assistance from Singapore. Use of the app will be voluntary.
Solomon Islands: Concerns have been raised that the government of Solomon Islands may be using its state of emergency in an unconstitutional manner, and that this overreach may be politically motivated. The government, meanwhile, has just announced the nation’s first repatriation flights. The first will depart Brisbane on 26 May.
Vanuatu: Testing can now be done in-country, although test kit volumes are limited due to a global shortage. Schools in areas not affected by cyclone Harold will reopen for full-time classes next week.
Samoa: In what is sure to be a welcome announcement for the rugby-mad nation, the government is preparing to lift all restrictions on sporting events. Non-contact sports were the first to resume. The prime minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has threatened stiff fines if repatriated people do not honour strict quarantine rules following their return. Others, however, remain confused about the prerequisites to travel.
Tonga: The nation remains virus-free, but the government has nonetheless extended the state of emergency for another month. Some social and commercial gatherings are allowed, but only with strict limits. Borders remain closed.
New Caledonia: Opposition figures insist that France is running roughshod over the territory’s sovereignty by imposing border controls, an area they insist is the sole purview of the New Caledonian government. MPs threatened to resign if no action was taken on the matter.
Australia and New Zealand
Australia’s death toll from the coronavirus reached 100 on Tuesday, with just over 7,000 cases. The rate of new cases has slowed dramatically in recent weeks, with the country mostly hitting the government’s target of fewer than 20 new cases a day. Australia has been focusing its efforts on rallying support for a formal inquiry into the origins of the virus. It is believed that the push for this inquiry is behind China’s decision to impose 80% tariffs on barley imports from Australia.
New Zealand has just over 1,150 cases and recorded 21 deaths from the virus. In the past week, the country has recorded five days of no new cases and two days with just one case. The country eased its lockdown restrictions further last Thursday, allowing shops and cafes to reopen under physical distancing rules, which are being strictly enforced in some cases, as Jacinda Ardern learned when she was turned away from a local cafe because it had too many people in it. A new poll shows her popularity has surged during the Covid-19 crisis, with Ardern becoming the most popular prime minister in a century.
Fake news
A story in the UK newspaper the Daily Star quoted i-Kiribati people claiming they were drinking coconut milk to protect themselves from the virus. The article quoted journalist Rimon Rimon saying this was just one of the many “silly rumours” about coronavirus that have been circulating in Kiribati.
“Most people only got access to the internet recently, and it’s just bombarding them with information,” he told the Star. “They don’t know how to differentiate fake news, and so they promote what’s not true.”
What did they say?
With less confidence in government support and lack of income,
businesses can no longer afford to pay staff. Ultimately when businesses
suffer, so do the people. More unemployment is a direct result.
– Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, protesting against proposed
restrictions to government wage subsidies.
Good news
Vanuatu’s Wan Smolbag theatre will present one of the world’s only live theatrical performances. Its new play, titled Longtaem we Longtaem I Pass (Long Long Ago), opens on Tuesday and features seven traditional stories from around the world.
Infection and fatality figures in this article are valid as of 18 May. They are based on WHO daily situation reports, and supplemented in some cases by national government updates.
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