Before the current wave of cases, there were no transmissions within the island group, which is about 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii and 3,000 miles east of the Philippines. In a recent post on his Facebook account, Health Minister Jack Niedenthal said 75% of people tested on the main island of Majuro came back positive. Prior to the current outbreak, approximately 60 cases of COVID were reported in the Marshall Islands throughout the pandemic. Now, more than 3,000 people have tested positive, with more than 1,000 testing positive in the 24 hours to Saturday. Actual numbers could be higher as reporting rates tend to be lower over the weekend. Seven people have been hospitalized and two have died, according to the health minister. The population of the islands is recorded to be close to 60,000 and the vaccination rate hovers around 70%. However, Mr Niedenthal says he believes the true vaccination rate is closer to 85% due to population declines over the past decade. People are advised to seek clinical treatment only if they suffer from severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, confusion or a high fever. Those with mild symptoms have been told to rest, drink water and take paracetamol. A lockdown is unlikely, with Mr Niedenthal saying: “Some are suggesting a lockdown. “To put it simply, lockdowns with this Omicron BA.5 variant do not work. “We know this, both historical and scientific evidence supports it [Federated States of Micronesia] three times faster than the CDC model originally predicted. “This is because in Micronesia most of us live in houses with multiple family members.” He added that he believed the cases would likely die down within a month. The Marshall Islands has maintained a largely COVID-19-free status over the past two years by limiting access to the outside world. Subscribe to the Daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker Official UK Foreign Office advice says: “The total suspension of international travelers coming to the Marshall Islands continues and commercial flights to and from the islands remain very limited. There are a small number of repatriation flights.” Two experts from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have been sent to the islands to help manage the outbreak.
