27 Apr 2022

Samoa police fine hundreds for flouting covid rules

2:33 pm on 27 April 2022

Police in Samoa are clamping down on people flouting State of Emergency orders - including failing to wear masks in public - as the nationwide level 2 lockdown continues.

Assistant Police Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo confirmed on TV1Samoa that people have been fined or $US38 each for not wearing face masks in public.

Firts ait kit concept. Top above overhead view photo of a box full of masks and a bottle of hand sanitizer isolated on turquoise background

Photo: 123RF

Auapa'au said close to 500 fines have been given for breaches to lockdown rules since March 17 when community transmission was detected.

Businesses have been fined for opening and for selling alcohol and at least one church has been fined for holding a service during lockdown.

Auapa'au said more than 100 people have been fined for travelling around during the curfew from 10pm until 6am.

The Gaming Control Authority has also been fined $US3,900 for operating during lockdown hours.

Three more deaths from Covid.

Three new Covid-19 related deaths have been recorded in Samoa..

Samoa's Ministry of Health's latest report says the latest three deaths recorded in the past two weeks takes the Covid death toll to 16.

The Ministry also confirmed 2,214 community cases of Covid-19 have been reported over the last seven days.

The total number of community cases in Samoa is now confirmed at 8,280.

Most positive cases are recorded in Upolu where there are 7,536, while in Savai'i there are 736 cases in Savaii and 8 cases on Manono Tai.

There are 20 people in managed isolation and four people in ICU at the Moto'otua Hospital.