Vanuatu Situation Report – Issued 27 April Covering 26 to 27 April 2022

SUMMARY AND DISEASE BURDEN

• On 04 March 2022, an active COVID-19 case was confirmed at Vila Central Hospital who had no travel history, indicating transmission at community level.
• As of 22 April 2022, Shefa have moved to Recovery level 2 and Sanma, Torba province and Pentecost are at Alert Level 3 (Very High) due to large-scale community transmission. The other two provinces of Vanuatu are at Alert Level 1 (Medium Risk) due to the risk of importation of COVID-19
• A total of 7330 confirmed cases have been reported since the beginning of 2022.
• 185 new confirmed cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, including 28 in Shefa Province (Efate, Ifira and Lelepa islands), 73 in Sanma Province (Santo and Malo islands), 71 in Pentecost Island (Penama Province), 3 in Tafea Province (Tanna and Erromango) and 10 cases in Torres Islands (Torba Province).
• New cases have been reported in Erromango island (Tafea Province) and Gaua and Vanua Lava island (Torba Province)
• Currently, there are 3 cases hospitalized directly due to COVID-19 infection, all in Shefa province and in stable condition.

Today the Ministry of Health confirmed six (6) positive cases of COVID-19 on Tanna Island as investigation continues in other parts of Tafea Province

The three islands will move immediately to Level 3 of the Vanuatu Outbreak Alert System, which means there is widespread community transmission, and the risk is very high. An immediate move to COVID-19 Alert level 3 allows for the most vulnerable to be protected and delays transmission.