Tuvalu

Traveller from Tuvalu tests positive for Covid-19 in NZ

The person arrived two weeks ago, and tested positive for the virus once in New Zealand.

They are staying in managed isolation in Auckland.

The tiny island nation has not had any previously reported cases of Covid-19.

About 14,000 people live across the Tuvalu archipelago, and UN data shows that 12,114 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered there.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health said this case was one of three new incoming border cases that were reported yesterday.

Another 126 community cases were also reported in New Zealand yesterday.

Chair asks Forum leaders to defer appointment of new head

In a 18 June letter, Mr Natano said that due to the "political sensitivities and complexities surrounding the appointment of the Secretary-General, postpone, the decision on the appointment of the Secretary-General to the next formal face to face, session of the Pacific Islands Forum's Retreat."

The PIF chair also said the deadline of nominees for the next Secretary-General role, which was supposed to end on Friday should be extended until the Forum meeting in Fiji next year.

Tuvalu to declare state of emergency after Cyclone Tino

The cyclone which formed in Tuvaluan waters got as strong as a category three system - also affecting Fiji and Tonga.

The director of Tuvalu's disaster management office, Sumeo Silu, said based on initial reports about half of the country's population had been severely affected by the cyclone.

Food security was a major concern given ocean waves, whipped up by the storm, inundated gardens and strong winds uprooted trees and damaged banana and breadfruit trees, he said.

Crew abandon burning Chinese fishing vessel

A New Zealand Defence Force Orion located the vessel about 400 nautical miles west of Tuvalu earlier Friday.

The Orion dropped communications equipment, fresh water and lights to the crew of the Jin Xiang 6.

Now the Fiji Maritime Surveillance Rescue has reported there are 16 crew with the vessel and that life boats are in the water, as the vessel takes on seawater.

Fiji is connecting with nearby resources to help the crew.

 

Photo: New Zealand Defence Force

 

     

Tuvalu bans single use plastic from August 1

It's hoped the new measures will ease pressure on an overflowing rubbish dump on Fogafale where most of the population lives.

Single use plastic bottles under 1.5 litres, plastic plates, cutlery and food wrap are among the items which will not be allowed in to the country from 1 August, according to the Director of the Department of Environment Soseala Tinilau.

Tuvalu on high alert for dengue

An outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease was declared on 27 March and, with 600 extra people in the capital Funafuti next month for the Pacific Islands Forum, efforts are underway to stamp out the insects and their larvae.

Teams were spraying schools and other hotspots and water tanks were being treated for larvae, according to Clare Whelan, Health Planning and Management Advisor with Tuvalu's Ministry of Health.

Tuvalu overcome 3-day voyage to spring beach volleyball surprise

In Tuesday’s pool matches at Apia Waterfront, Tuvalu’s Saaga Malosa and Amalamo Talake defeated PNG’s Richard Batari and Loi Walo in straight sets, although the PNG pair are not the same players that won gold at the Port Moresby XV 2015 Pacific Games.

Along with the rest of Team Tuvalu, Malosa and Talake endured a three-day voyage to reach Samoa. They only arrived on Saturday before attending Sunday night’s opening ceremony and going straight into action on Monday.

New system to warn of freak waves and storm surges in Tuvalu

It was developed after Cyclone Pam in 2015, which sent waves rolling across the country's atolls, forcing the evacuation of some 300 people.

The Pacific Community's Mia Ramon said the system is vital for survival on low-lying atolls, with such events forecast to increase with climate change.

"Tuvalu people want to stay home," she said. "And the Tuvaluan Prime Minister is very famous for saying 'If you save Tuvalu, you can save the world'."

Fishermen adrift at sea rescued south of Tuvalu

The Nadi Rescue Coordination Centre said the men set off a distress signal around 4pm on Saturday about 144 kilometres south of Funafuti.

A New Zealand PC3 Orion located the men and their six metre skiff a few kilometres from where they set off their personal locator beacon.

They were then picked up by a merchant vessel the MV Talomoana around 4 on Sunday afternoon.

It is understood the vessel was now returning the men to Tuvalu.

The rescue coordination centre is awaiting a final report on the incident from the Tuvalu government.

     

Search underway after distress signal near Tuvalu

The distress signal was made close to Niulakita Island, the southernmost island of Tuvalu, 3700 kilometres north of New Zealand.

Air Commodore Andrew Clark said an Orion aircraft took off this afternoon at the request of the Fiji's Rescue Coordination Centre.

"The coordinates from the distress call were used to define the search area and will hopefully help us pinpoint the beacon's location," Mr Clark said in a statement.

"At present, all we know is that a beacon has been activated in the vicinity of Tuvalu and we are helping Fijian authorities locate it."