Tonga’s first COVID outbreak erupts; vaccination surges to 98%

Enlarge / Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2022 shows a beach resort hit by a tsunami on the outskirts of Nuku'alofa, capital of Tonga. (credit: Getty | Xinhua News Agency)

The ultra-transmissible omicron coronavirus is now spreading in Tonga, causing the archipelago nation's first COVID-19 outbreak as it tries to recover from an underwater volcanic eruption and tsunami on January 15. The disaster killed three, wiped out several small settlements, blanketed the main island in a thick layer of ash, and severed the only fiber-optic cable to Tonga, severely hampering communications.

Prior to the eruption, the island nation-home to around 106,000 people-had logged only one confirmed case of COVID-19, which was caught in a quarantine. But amid international aid and relief efforts, two wharf workers tested positive earlier this month, as did three of their family members.

Tonga's case total is now up to 66, with 31 newly reported cases Thursday.

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