A man infected with the COVID-19 virus arrived in Samoa on an incoming flight four days ago, laboratory testing has confirmed.

The passenger is the second ever person in the country to return a positive test for the virus. 

The National Emergency Operation Centre (N.E.O.C.) revealed the case at a press conference on Monday afternoon. 

The passenger tested negative for the virus upon arrival but positive three days later, during quarantine.

N.E.O.C. Chair, Agafili Shem Leo and the Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri appeared before the media to explain the case.

Leausa confirmed that the positive case entered Samoa on an incoming 9 December flight into the country, on which all passengers had recorded negative tests before entry. 

The flight, which was from Fiji and had 134 passengers, had a mix of nationalities on board. 

"A male has tested positive over the weekend, he does not have symptoms or a fever," the Health chief said. 

"The positive case is fully vaccinated. 

"We are doing contact tracing." 

It is not known at this stage what strain of the virus the man has been infected with, or if he is positive for Omicron, the latest virus variant to be detected globally.

Fiji opened its borders to international tourists at the start of this month in a bid to kickstart its tourism industry which had been hard hit by the pandemic-led downturn. 

The man's testing positive brings to an end the long period for which Samoa has not recorded any cases of COVID-19. 

In February a young man on a repatriation flight departing from California and transiting via Auckland tested positive for the virus, resulting in the first instance of the virus reaching Samoan shores.

The 16-year-old boy, who traveled to Samoa with his mother, made a full recovery in extended hospital and home quarantine. 

A number of other "false positive" or "historic" cases of the virus have also been registered in tests for the virus. 

All repatriation passengers get tested at the airport upon arrival as a matter of standard procedure.