The Samoa government has confirmed a breach of quarantine procedures, following a Radio Polynesia report, by a nurse and a government driver who left managed isolation to go to an ATM.
The government has also confirmed another positive case following the latest round of tests, a frontline nurse in isolation.
Samoa has 31 positive Covid-19 cases in MIQ, a majority who were passengers on a flight from Brisbane.
Samoa's capital, Apia. Photo: RNZ / Alex Perrottet
In a statement issued, the Government said that on Saturday afternoon, 29 January, the Disaster Finance Team from the Ministry of Finance reported to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) the sighting of a vehicle assigned to a quarantine site at an ATM near Fugalei market.
According to the statement, the NEOC contacted the driver of the car to verify the movements of the vehicle that afternoon, in particular between 2.30pm to 3.45pm.
Our correspondent said the statement comes after a number of messages and texts to the NEOC Chair, Peseta Noumea Simi and Director General Leausa Dr Take Naseri.
As reported earlier, several NEOC officials told Radio Polynesia, the two people in the car are frontline staff who worked on the day the flight from Brisbane arrived.
"It was confirmed by the driver that prior to leaving the quarantine site at 2.30pm on Saturday to refill the vehicle at the government petrol station at Lepea, a quarantine nurse who had asked to be taken to an ATM, got into the vehicle.
The driver confirms stopping at the Fugalei SCB ATM for less than five minutes on return from the petrol station before proceeding to the Ministry of Health to pick up deliveries for the quarantine site, and then returning to MIQ."
The government statement said both the driver and the nurse confirm that every precaution was taken to minimise their exposure to the general public, especially at the ATM site.
The driver also remained in the vehicle for the duration of their travels. In addition, both workers were fully decontaminated prior to their leaving the quarantine site.
The matter is currently under Police investigation and personnel involved are grounded at the quarantine site for the remainder of the quarantine period.
