COVID-19: Pacific Community Updates

This page will be regularly updated as new information is received

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pacific Community (SPC) Public Health Division is closely monitoring the global and regional situation through its epidemic intelligence system and produces regular epidemiological reports on COVID-19 cases reported in the Pacific.

The COVID-19 (COrona VIrus Disease 2019) outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. Globally, nations are taking actions to reduce and control the spread of the virus.

For information on global efforts to manage this outbreak, visit the WHO website for current situation reports on COVID 19.

Current Status in the Pacific

11 Pacific Island countries and territories (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna) have reported COVID-19 cases.

For more details and data, please consult the below map and charts.

(*) This includes all cases reported (imported/border cases and locally acquired cases)

You can print or download the map in PNG, JPEG and PDF format by clicking on the hamburger menu ☰ on the top right corner

Last update on March 1, 2021
Pacific Country		Past 14 days	Past 28 days	Past 42 days	Total cases	Total deaths
FJ	Fiji	3	4	4	59	2
GU	Guam	38	129	252	7,737	131
MH	Marshall Islands	0	0	0	4	0
MP	Northern Mariana Islands	9	10	14	143	2
NC	New Caledonia	6	11	14	58	0
PF	French Polynesia	121	313	717	18,414	139
PG	Papua New Guinea	320	408	440	1,275	12
SB	Solomon Islands	0	1	1	18	0
VU	Vanuatu	0	0	0	1	0
WF	Wallis and Futuna	0	4	5	9	0
WS	Samoa	0	1	2	4	0
Total		497	881	1,449	27,722	286

For further information on specific countries in the Pacific contact the respective government authorities.

Regional Challenges

COVID-19 represents a significant challenge for the region. The Pacific Community (SPC), as the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) lead in public health, has taken all necessary measures to help address the spread of COVID-19. This includes the adoption of a response framework aimed at supporting staff well-being and business continuity while supporting an efficient regional response to the pandemic.

Which are the main risk areas for PICTs?

In most of the PICTs, access to quality health services is limited, due to a lack of infrastructure, equipment, and qualified personnel. In the current situation, this can pose a problem of access to care if the number of infected people increases.
Most PICTs do not have the needed laboratory equipment to analyse the tests on site, which creates difficulties in identifying cases. The test samples have to be sent to other countries for analysis.
Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) are frequented by tourists. This represents a risk due to the movement of people to and from PICTs (although restrictive measures have been put in place); and also a risk for the local economies.

Country support:

Our Public Health Division is supporting Pacific Island countries and territories preparedness and response to COVID-19 through public health surveillance, laboratory, infection prevention and control, risk communication and clinical services.

Partnership:

SPC is part of the World Health Organization (WHO)-led multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT) and therefore provides support to PICTs in close collaboration with regional partners.