Tonga calls lockdown after recording first Covid case of the pandemic

Twenty months into the pandemic, this country finally recorded its first official case of Covid. Now it’s heading into lockdown.

Twenty months into the pandemic, Tonga has announced a snap lockdown after finding its first ever recorded case of the coronavirus.

Despite being fully vaccinated and testing negative to the virus prior to boarding a repatriation flight in Christchurch, New Zealand, the infected man – a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints – tested positive while in managed isolation on Friday.

Several of his close contacts have since tested negative, with Tonga’s Ministry of Health confirming that all 108 frontline workers on the flight tested negative as well.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa has imposed a one-week lockdown, starting from 11:59pm on Monday night.

Only essential services will continue to operate. Domestic travel has come to a standstill, and residents have been asked to stop non-essential work and stay at home.

Masses have gathered in vaccination hubs in light of the new confirmed case. Picture: Eleanor Gee, Matangi Tonga, AFP.

Prior to confirming the lockdown, Mr Tu’i’onetoa called on the kingdom’s 105,697-strong population to get vaccinated, with thousands of Tongans coming forward. In just days, the kingdom’s vaccination rate has risen from 35 per cent prior to the confirmed positive case to 62 per cent – nearly doubling.

“More people are coming forward because now we have coverage of first dose of about 86 per cent and a second dose of about 62 per cent,” he said.

“This is a major turnout today and will boost the overall coverage of first and fully vaccinated.”

The head of Tonga’s Ministry of Health, Dr Siale Akau’ola, said he was confident the man would recover from the virus.

“We are satisfied despite this person being positive, we believe the person would not get seriously ill and reach a dangerous level,” he said.

62 per cent of the island nation is now fully inoculated, with that figure expected to grow over the next few days. Picture: Eleanor Gee, Matangi Tonga, AFP.

Double-edged sword facing closed-off Tonga

Since declaring a national emergency in March of 2020, Tonga’s strict border policy has prevented expats from returning to their homeland.

Located roughly 200km from Australia’s east coast, its tourist-reliant economy has suffered.

Prior to the pandemic, Tonga welcomed 94,000 international visits in 2019, with the island renowned for its coral reefs, snorkelling and whale watching activities.

According to the World Bank, Covid has “severely impacted” Tonga’s tourism, retail and construction sectors, which make up at least 30 per cent of its economy.

Its economy was further devastated by the Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Harold in April of 2020, which destroyed over 12 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Despite receiving US$30 million from the World Bank in December of 2020, Tonga’s Minister of Finance Tevita Lavemaau admitted there was “still much to be done”.

“While Tonga has made some progress in minimising the combined impacts of Cyclone Harold and the global impacts of COVID-19, both have affected us significantly,” he said.

“With this support from the World Bank, we will be able to help our most vulnerable citizens, communities and businesses to recover better, and bolster our resilience to future climate-related and economic shocks.”