Across the region, Pacific Islands countries are grappling with when and how to repatriate its citizens who have been stranded abroad since international borders closed due to the pandemic several months ago.
Palau, one of those countries with no confirmed cases of Covid-19, repatriated a group of citizens last month and was scheduled to bring around double the number, or about 80, on the next repatriation flight for today.
But the flight has now been delayed, and the recently scaled-down quarantine procedure stepped up again, after Palau authorities learnt of two Covid-19 cases among those who were due on the flight.
Our correspondent in Palau, Bernadette Carreon, provided an update.
Palau airport on Babelthuap island Photo: RNZI Walter Zweifel
