The COVID-19 pandemic in American Samoa is part of the
worldwide pandemic of
coronavirus disease 2019
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include f ...
() caused by
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
was confirmed to have reached the
unincorporated United States territory of
American Samoa
American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...
on November 9, 2020.
Background
On January 12, 2020, the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
(WHO) confirmed that a
novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on December 31, 2019.
The
case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than
SARS of 2003,
but the
transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.
[
]
Timeline
March 2020
On March 6, the American Samoan government introduced new entry restrictions including restricting flight numbers and requiring travelers from Hawaii to spend 14 days in Hawaii and obtain a health clearance from health authorities. On March 11, a government task-force was set up to deal with the virus and quarantining measures have been put in place for incoming visitors. On March 14, half of the 210 passengers on a returning Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ( ) is a commercial U.S. airline headquartered in Honolulu, and a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group. It is the largest operator of commercial flights to and from the island state of Hawaiʻi, and the tenth largest ...
flight were required to self-quarantine at home. Following a trip to the US mainland, Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga self-isolated as a precautionary measure on March 16.
On March 26, Iulogologo Joseph Pereira, executive assistant to the American Samoa Governor and the head of the territory's coronavirus task force, acknowledged that the territory did not have facilities to test samples of the COVID-19 virus, having to rely on testing facilities in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
.
April 2020
On April 19, United States President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
declared that a major disaster existed in American Samoa, responding to a request for help from Governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Lolo Matalasi Moliga on April 13. This declaration makes the territory eligible for federal assistance to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
has named its Regional 9 administrator Robert Fenton Junior as the Coordinating Officer for any federal recovery operations in American Samoa.
May 2020
As of May 6, the US territory had still reported no cases.
November 2020
On November 9, American Samoa reported its first three cases, who were crew members aboard the container ship ''Fesco Askold''.Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand (), commonly known as RNZ or Radio NZ, is a New Zealand public service broadcaster and Crown entity. Established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995, it operates news and current affairs station, RNZ National, and a classi ...
, the ''Fesco Askold'' was scheduled to leave American Samoa on November 19.
December 2020
On December 21, American Samoa started its COVID-19 vaccinations by vaccinating its health workers and first responders with the Pfizer vaccine. On the same day, another case was reported as a crew member aboard the container ship ''Coral Islander'' tested positive.
March 2021
By March 6, 2021, nearly 24,000 COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the territory. According to the Department of Health official's 's Aifili Dr John Tufa, this amounts to roughly 42% of American Samoa's eligible population.
April 2021
On April 18, 2021, Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga announced a positive case in quarantine on a man repatriated from Hawaii.
August 2021
On August 13, 2021, the government of American Samoa made vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for entry into the territory as soon as the FDA issued full approval, which it did for the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on August 23.
September 2021
A sixth case (commonly reported as the first territorial case in the media, with cargo ship and previous quarantine cases excluded) was found in a group of travelers quarantining at their hotel on September 18. The infected person was a fully vaccinated resident who had returned from travel to Hawaii and the continental United States on the first commercial flight between Honolulu and Page Pago after service was restored. In reaction, the person was taken to another facility to isolate, and flights into the island were suspended indefinitely.
October 2021
Two more cases (the third counted imported case, and the seventh and eight overall) were reported on October 2. They were fully vaccinated residents quarantining after returning on a flight from Honolulu on September 27. In response, the patients and three close contacts were put in isolation.
December 2021
In late December 2021 it was reported that a total of 11 imported cases had been detected on the island, with no local transmission.
January 2022
Six new cases were detected on January 13, 2022, from a Hawaiian Airlines flight.
See also
* COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa
References
{{COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
American Samoa
American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...
2022 in American Samoa
COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
Disease outbreaks in American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...
2020 in American Samoa
2021 in American Samoa