American Samoa reports first case of COVID-19

American Samoa reported its first case of COVID-19 on Friday.

The territorial health ministry confirmed the positive case among 43 travelers who were quarantined in a hotel, according to a statement posted on facebook by the Department of Homeland Security of American Samoa.

The traveler was asymptomatic during the test and continued to be monitored. The individual has been fully vaccinated.

The person was transported to an isolation center at the alternative care facility of the Ministry of Health.

American Samoa remains in code blue, which means there is minimal social disruption to society, such as quarantine and isolation measures.

However, all flights have been suspended until further notice.

“The discovery of this positive case during quarantine underscores the importance of why our process is crucial to preventing the spread of COVID-19,” American Samoa Governor Lemanu Mauga said in the statement.

“This further underscores the importance of maintaining our current quarantine protocols,” he continued.

The territory requires travelers to quarantine themselves for 10 days upon their return from travel.

In August, American Samoa demanded that travelers be fully vaccinated as a condition of entry.

Last year there were a few positive cases associated with a cargo ship that docked in the territory, The Associated Press reported. However, the crew never left the ship and officials did not include these infections in their coronavirus count.