Cook Islands report 1st COVID case

[alsemanche 97,803]

The Cook Islands on Saturday recorded its first case of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, as the South Pacific country edges toward reopening its borders to tourists.

The nation of around 17,000 people has one of the highest vaccination rates globally, with 96 percent of the eligible population double-dosed.

The virus was detected in a 10-year-old boy quarantining after arriving on a repatriation flight with his family on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Brown said in a statement. The boy was believed to have flown in from New Zealand.

Source

The Cook Islands is a self-governing island country in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. It comprises 15 islands whose total land area is 240 square kilometres (93 sq mi).

[RAMROD 117,075]

I hope they have adequate hospital equipment and such to handle this. This number will grow in coming days.

[Helxig 45,359]

No way man this is AWFUL news. We've been really afraid that the islands would get covid, because of their limited resources (medical and otherwise) and other reasons    this has the potential to be really devastating for them. F.uck

Edit: I hadn't realise their vaccination rates were so high! Good on them! I really hope that helps 

[littlepotter 76,612]

@COOOK get well soon x