Parents of the 10-year-old child that recently tested positive for COVID-19 have also tested positive for the virus.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made the announcement in a nationwide address today. He says despite the sad news, it was encouraging to note that all other passengers who were in close contact tested negative.
Sogavare says all four positive cases are now in isolation.
He says the latest results means that the total number of positive COVID-19 cases registered for the country since the start of the pandemic is 24.
“Fellow citizens, the plan remains the same, to contain and eliminate the virus from our quarantine and isolation stations.
“However, these two variants are more transmissible and more dangerous than the first variant that affected the first 20 cases of COVID-19 in the country,” the Prime Minister said.
He says the WHO has described the Delta variant as the fittest, fastest and the most lethal variant of COVID-19.
“From information now available the Omicron variant spreads even faster than the Delta variant.”
The Prime Minister says the chances of these two variants reaching our communities is much higher than in the previous twenty cases.
He urges all members of the public to take precautionary measures and start wearing masks in public places and public transports.
He says people should also practice social distancing in public places, particularly in enclosed areas.