COVID-19

Last Friday night police went around closing some shops because there were more than three people inside the store.

The public is advised that only three people are allowed inside a shop at any one time to minimise gatherings and the spread of Covid.

Shop owners must remind customers of this otherwise police will close the business operation

The force has released a notice warning people to stay at home if they are not buying essential needs.

“Police will be moving people on. If YOU are NOT out buying essential needs for YOUR family then stay home!”

There are now 606 cases, up from 337 reported on Sunday.

President Lionel Aingimea said that, as of Wednesday morning, 14 people are in negative air pressure units.

He said the vaccination rate is high, at 98 percent.

This is the first time Nauru has experienced community transmission of the virus.

Just 13 cases had been detected at the borded in late March - they have all since recovered.

Nauru government information officer Kelly Amram said Covid-19 protocols are in place in an effort to slow down the spread of the virus.

The service has been suspended for two weeks.

A total of 337 people have been tested positive for Covid and there are community cases as well. 

“As a consequence of national measures being put in place on Nauru to respond to Covid-19 outbreak. Scheduled passenger services into Nauru have been suspended for the next two weeks, or as further advised.”

“Nauru Airlines puts the health and safety of passengers as its top priority and will implement the highest measures to minimise the spread. Air freight services to Nauru will continue as normal.”

The Nauru Police Force has issued a notice reminding the public to have their mask on at all times, in order to fight the rising numbers of Covid-19 in the country. 

“You are required to have a mask at all times in a public place. Shop owners or keepers must also comply for the benefits of their customers, and the whole country as a whole,” Police said.

Nauru Police is also urging the public to report to the nearest health centre if they show symptoms of the virus.

“The Virus MOVES when PEOPLE move!”

In his address to the nation, President Lionel Aingimea said of the total number of cases, 101 are placed in isolation and the rest are isolating at home. Some are isolating in Ewa, Baitsi, Aiwo, Boe, Menen, and Ijuw.

“There are only four people in the negative pressure Acute Care Unit (ACU) at the RON Hospital, and none of them are in respiratory distress nor are they in a critical condition needing 24/7 assistance.”

Aingimea said the number of people with COVID is rising but none are in a critical state.

The band said the show at the Johan Cruijff Arena would be rescheduled and that they were "deeply sorry".

Sir Mick, 78, added in a message to fans: "Thank you for your patience and understanding."

The band are currently on their Sixty tour, where they had planned to play 14 shows in 10 European countries.

Tickets for the original show will be honoured for the new date once the show is postponed.

The Stones had already played three of their tour dates, including one in the UK at Anfield in Liverpool.

The outbreak of 228 cases linked to the Heaven Supermarket Bar, which had just reopened as restrictions in Beijing eased last week, highlights how hard it will be for China to make a success of its "zero Covid" policy as much of the rest of the world opts to learn how to live with the virus.

The re-emergence of infections is also raising new concerns about the outlook for the world's second largest economy. China is only just shaking off a heavy blow from a long lockdown in Shanghai - its most populous city and commercial nerve centre - that also disrupted global supply chains.

At midnight local time (16:00 GMT Tuesday), restrictions were relaxed to allow most people to move freely around the city of some 25 million people.

But at least 650,000 residents will remain confined to their homes.

China's overall policy of "zero Covid" remains in place and people catching Covid face quarantine or hospital.

Their close contacts also face the prospect of removal to quarantine and the area immediately around where they live being locked down again.

The latest figure, covering the past week, brings the total number of cases since September to 61,049.

The incidence of the virus is slightly higher than a month ago but down sharply since the peak in February.

The death toll remains at 312 - all of them died after the Delta variant entered the community in September.

The official update makes no mention of any Covid-19 patient still in hospital care.

Most pandemic-related restrictions have been lifted, but vaccinated travellers must still take a test two days after arrival.

There were 14.9 million excess deaths associated with Covid-19 by the end of 2021, the UN body said on Thursday.

The official count of deaths directly attributable to Covid-19 and reported to WHO in that period, from January 2020 to the end of December 2021, is slightly more than 5.4m.

The WHO's excess mortality figures reflect people who died of Covid-19 as well as those who died as an indirect result of the outbreak, including people who could not access healthcare for other conditions when systems were overwhelmed during huge waves of infection.