Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told pacific island country in a televised confrontation that a student newly arrived from the Philippines on a 96-passenger repatriation flight had tested positive.
“It pains me to say that we have lost our coVID-19 prestige despite our collective efforts to prevent the pandemic from entering our country,” Sogavare said Saturday.
He suggested to the population of 600,000 inhabitants of the archipelago to remain calm and said that the search for contacts and other measures to prevent the spread of the virus had been activated and that there was no need for closure.
The student, who scored 3 times negative in the Philippines before boarding the flight, tested positive for regimen control on his return to the capital, Honiara, and is now isolated.
Eighteen other academics examined remain quarantined in Manila.
Since Solomon’s borders were closed in March, more than 400 academics have been stranded in the Philippines, which has been greatly affected by the virus.
Under pressure from relatives, Solomons organized three repatriation flights, the first of which arrived last Tuesday.
Despite confirmation of his first COVID-19 case, Sogavare said the government would continue painting to bring the remaining scholars home.