COVID-19 community cases in Samoa have surged over the last 24-hours with health authorities recording 220 new cases to push the cumulative total for the country to 467.

Upolu continues to lead with the highest number of community cases which now sit at 454 with only 13 cases reported in Savai’i, the Government Press Secretariat has advised in its community transmission update press release.

The smaller islands of Manono-Tai and Apolima-Tai continue to record zero active cases since the country’s first community case was detected last Thursday.

A total of 3,313 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) were administered between Monday and Tuesday with 2,507 administered in Upolu and 806 in Savaii. A total of 11,588 RATs have been conducted to date since last Thursday.   

According to the Ministry of Health, age groups between 15 to 19 years and 25 to 29 years of age recorded the highest percentages of positive cases.   

The Press Secretariat also advised that there are currently no cases in the national hospital’s intensive care unit and no record of cumulative deaths.

The Government on Tuesday announced the extension of the lockdown by another 2 weeks with two days in each week catering for a 6-hour window from 8am to 2pm to allow the public to access essential services as well as replenish their supplies.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, when announcing the Government’s decision to extend the lockdown, appealed to the public to adhere to preventative health measures to arrest the rise in community cases.

She said the decision to extend the lockdown was based on the recommendation of the Disaster Advisory Committee.

“In this connection, Cabinet considered recommendations from the Disaster Advisory Committee, and thereby approved the continuation of Level 3 for another 14 days, commencing from midnight tonight (Tuesday, 22 March) to Tuesday midnight of April 5,” Fiame said. “Essential services will open from 8.00am to 2.00pm on Saturday (26th March), Tuesday (29th March), Saturday (2nd April) and on Tuesday (5th April). 

“All other services will close throughout the two weeks.”