Solomons

The Minister of Health and Medical Services, Culwick Togamana, said a total of 229 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours - 166 in Honiara which represented 72 per cent of new cases and 63 cases from the provinces.

Dr Togamana said in terms of Covid-19 related deaths, the country's total figure stands at 50 - 38 in Honiara, eight in Guadalcanal Province, three in Malaita and one in Western Province.

The country's first case of domestic transmission of the virus was recorded last month.

Photo file 

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made a national address yesterday saying there are now 2790 cases in the country.

Sogavare said this was within 20 days of the country's first case of domestic transmission of the virus.

He said on Friday alone, health officials identified 430 cases.

Sogavare put the official death toll at 32 but other deaths are believed to have occurred at home.

The prime minister said all but three provinces have reported cases, and transmission was now widespread in the capital, Honiara.

"Due to the combination of COVID-19 and the social unrest in November/December period, the progress of construction is badly affected, said Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Hosting Authority Jimmie Rodgers.

"With the current workforce we will not be able to complete the facilities on time for the games next year. The additional staff will ensure the facilities are completed in time for the Games."

Minister of Health Culwick Togamana announced the figures from the last 24 hours (up to midday Monday) this evening which brings totals to 12 deaths and 1486 cases since the start of the outbreak just under a fortnight ago.

The majority of cases were still coming from the capital, Honiara, and Malaita Province, but suspected cases were starting to crop up in other parts of the country, Dr Togamana said.

Health authorities confirmed the country's first two deaths on Tuesday.

During a media conference on Thursday night, Health Minister Dr Culwick Togamana, said they are expecting more cases in the coming days.

He said community transmission was now widespread in the capital Honiara and some provincial areas.

"For the Western Province, a surge in flu-like illness was noted in Rukutu Village where we suspect a recent gathering involving those who travelled from Honiara and may have transmitted Covid-19.

Solomon Business Magazine reports Health Minister Culwick Togamana announced the deaths this afternoon along with the latest figures showing 650 cases of Covid-19 as of midday Tuesday.

The two victims were a 51-year-old female and a 59-year-old male who had pre-existing conditions, including diabetes and high-blood pressure before contracting the virus.

They passed away on Monday night at the National Referral Hospital.

More than 200 new cases were recorded over the weekend with the Prime Minister warning that case numbers would climb as testing continues.

Health Minister Culwick Togamana told the ABC that authorities were facing a major challenge to contain the outbreak.

“The COVID-19 community transmission occurred before we detected the first case, it has already spread,” said Dr Culwick.

He said the country could only do 180 tests every 12 hours and modelling showed that cases could be in the thousands.

Two boat loads of people left Gizo for the Shortland Islands on 1 January, with one vessel drifting near Moli where it was found on 2 January. The other, carrying 14 people, failed to reach its destination.

The woman was found on Tuesday night near Zinoa Island, Vouza in Choiseul Province, and northwest of the Solomons capital Honiara, the head of maritime Thierry Nervale told RNZ Pacific.

This is more than 100 kilometres from the Shortland Islands.

Nervale said her body has been transported to Taro Island by the police and medical team.

The father died during the blast at around 7pm last night and his son two hours later at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports the man's wife and another son, sustained serious injuries from the blast and are fighting for their lives at the hospital.

The blast also caused deafness in two other men.

The family members were sitting by a fire beside their house when the bomb, a remnant from World War Two, suddenly exploded from beneath the fire, killed the father instantly.

Police say the 50 year-old was killed by a younger man at remote Rakisu Village in Tikopia last week.

A 30 year-old suspect accused the victim of using sorcery to kill his child and poison his wife.

Police commissioner Mostyn Mangau said witnesses alerted by the victims' cries for help saw the accused fleeing the scene

They took the victim of the attack to a local clinic where he died from acute blood loss, before being buried last Saturday.

Commissioner Mangau said he died the victim also made a statement which was recorded on a phone.