Eight passengers who flew into Samoa on a repatriation flight from New Zealand on Sunday have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Chairman of the National Emergency Operation Centre, Agafili Shem Leo, confirmed the eight positive cases when contacted by the Samoa Observer on Monday.

Agafili could not elaborate on the cases, saying a press release will be circulated by the N.E.O.C. with more details.

He added that the Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa spoke about the cases earlier on Monday. 

However, there have been no press conferences held by the Prime Minister on this particular matter.

It is not known if the positive cases are at the different quarantine sites or have been moved to the National Hospital at Moto’otua or the District Hospital at Faleolo.

The last repatriation flight from New Zealand three weeks ago had 270 passengers who all tested negative for the virus over the three weeks they were in quarantine, until their release last Friday.

Meanwhile, 25 other frontline workers are in isolation after working on the day a cargo vessel berth at the Matautu wharf,  whose crew members later tested positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival in American Samoa.  

The cargo vessel arrived in Samoa last Tuesday 1 March and left the next day for American Samoa where four crew members tested positive for the coronavirus.

Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa confirmed that a report has been submitted to the Cabinet containing details of the cargo vessel and its crew members.

She said the vessel transferred cargo for Samoa and then departed for the U.S. territory on Wednesday 2 March. 

“But it was only when it had reached American Samoa where some of the crew members were tested and four were confirmed to be positive cases of COVID-19,” she said in an interview with the Press Secretariat, which was uploaded to the Government's official Facebook page on Sunday.

• This is a developing story....