Dateline Pacific for 6 March 2020

The coronavirus outbreak has already dealt severe blows to the tourism industries in Samoa and the Northern Marianas; tourism operators in Papua New Guinea's East New Britain are frustrated over the provincial administration to prevent cruise ship passengers arriving due to fears COVID-19 could reach PNG; the governments of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville were due to head into key talks today [FRI 6th] but they have been put off until Friday 13th March; A Manus Island refugee and musician detained in an Australian hotel is being prevented from recording his new song; former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg withdrew from the US Democratic Presidential Candidate race less than 24 hours after sensationally taking the caucus of American Samoa during so-called Super Tuesday.