COVID-19 pandemic in Palau

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COVID-19 pandemic in Palau
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationPalau
Arrival date31 May 2021
Confirmed cases2
Active cases0
Recovered2
Deaths
0

The COVID-19 pandemic in Palau is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached Palau on 31 May 2021.

Background[edit]

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[1][2]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[3][4] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[5][3]

Timeline[edit]

Palau began implementing border controls early on.[6] The President of Palau Thomas Remengesau Jr. issued an executive order suspending all charter flights from China, Macau, and Hong Kong from 1–29 February 2020.[7] By March, the country's borders were closed.[6] Schools were also shut starting in April.[8] Remengesau eventually suspended travel to Palau.[9]

The order also quarantined all non-citizens who recently entered the country for fourteen days.[10]

On 1 April 2021 Palau and Taiwan established a "travel bubble", allowing people to travel between the two countries, with restrictions.[11]

Palau registered its first case of COVID-19 on 31 May 2021. President Surangel Whipps Jr. said that the patient was at low risk of infecting others and that the close contacts of the patient had returned negative test results. Whipps Jr. also highlighted that the majority of the population had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.[12]

On 11 June 2021, a second case is reported.[13]

Vaccination[edit]

Palauans began receiving COVID-19 vaccines in 2021.[6] As a member of the Compact of Free Association with the United States, Palau has received vaccines from Operation Warp Speed.[6][14] According to the Ministry of Health, vaccination started on 3 January and as of 12 April 40% of the population was fully vaccinated.[15] By 26 May, an estimated 96% of adults (18 and over) in the country had been fully vaccinated.[13] By the time the first case was detected, 97% of the adult population was vaccinated, about 70% of all Palauans. Plans were also announced to start vaccinating adolescents from 12 to 17.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  2. ^ Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  4. ^ "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  5. ^ "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d Mogul, Rhea. "Already free of coronavirus, this country could become the first to be vaccinated". CNN. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Palau to ban flights from China". The Guam Daily Post glish. 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Coronavirus: A look at cases and restrictions in the Pacific". 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  9. ^ Petty, Martin (15 April 2020). "'As long as necessary': Coronavirus holdout Palau opts for self-isolation". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  10. ^ Sablan, Jerick (16 April 2020). "Palau will quarantine all travelers for 14 days to prevent spread of COVID-19". Pacific Daily News. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Lift-off for Taiwan-Palau travel bubble but pandemic Ts & Cs apply". South China Morning Post. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Palau records first Covid-19 case". RNZ. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report" (PDF). Palau Ministry of Health. 26 May 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Taiwan And Palau Launch Coronavirus Travel Bubble". NPR.org. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report" (PDF). Palau Ministry of Health. 12 April 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
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