Another case of Covid-19 has been confirmed in quarantine in Solomon Islands, while more Solomons students stranded in the Philippines have also tested positive.
Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare. Photo: SIG news service
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare confirmed five cases on Thursday; one is a repatriated student in hotel quarantine in Honiara, who returned on the same flight as the country's other two cases, the other four are students still in the Philippines.
This brings the number of cases in managed quarantine in Honiara to 3 and the number of Solomon Islanders in the Philippines who have tested positive to 22.
Manasseh Sogavare said one of the Philippines cases was a pregnant woman who has since given birth in hospital.
"The other three positive cases in the Philippines are already at the Red Cross accommodation to complete their quarantine," he said.
Sogavare said the student in Honiara had been on the same repatriation flight as the other two positive cases.
He said contact tracing was underway.
"The person has been transferred to the National Referral Hospital Isolation Unit for further observations and management. Like our first two positive cases, this person does not show any signs of illness," Sogavare said.
He said because there had been mingling and congregating between the students at the quarantine facility the case did not come as a surprise.
"We are therefore relieved that we only recorded one additional positive case, because there could have been more," he said.
Sogavare said the next round of testing for people in managed quarantine will start this Sunday.
"This will give as a better indication on the status and the likely projection of the Covid-19 infection in the country," he said.
