Confirmation whether Samoa has a Covid-19 infection or not should be received this weekend.
Photo: AFP
A Samoan sailor who returned on a repatriation flight from Auckland last week tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday night despite previously testing negative.
A subsequent test also came back negative but samples have been sent to New Zealand for confirmation.
Samoa's Director General of Health Leusa Dr Take Naseri said the sample left on Air New Zealand's weekly cargo flight on Friday afternoon.
He said the swab would be transported from Auckland Airport directly to the ESR Lab in Wellington for testing, with a blood sample to follow.
The Samoa Director General said the test result should be known this weekend.
Leausa explained that in total there were three negative results and one positive for the 23 year old sailor who had travelled from Europe via Dubai and New Zealand.
He had a negative test result in Italy before departure, tested negative upon arrival at Faleolo Airport and negative again on Thursday morning.
The one positive coronavirus test he received while in quarantine.
Leausa Dr Take Naseri fronts the media Photo: RNZ Pacific / Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Leausa said the sailor was in isolation at Motootua Hospital and was not showing any signs of symptoms of the virus.
His roommate at the quarantine site in Samoa, was also taken to the hospital even though he hadn't tested positive, as a precautionary measure.
