Covid-19 positive sailor found on ship aiming to dock at Pago Pago

 Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A crewmember on a container ship in port in American Samoa tested positive for Covid-19. 

The vessel, Coral Islander, arrived Friday and the Department of Health team boarded to carry out coronavirus tests for the crew.

One of the 20 crew members yielded a positive result for coronavirus.

The Coral Islander sailed from Japan and called into New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tonga before it arrived in Pago Pago.

Epidemiologist Dr. Aifili John Tufa said the two health department personnel who carried out the tests and the administration pilot who guided the vessel into port were now in isolation.

This is the second ship with a coronavirus infected crewmember on board to arrive in Pago Pago.

According to Talanei News, unloading of the Coral Islander was allowed to continue with local stevedores handing the unloading and the 20 crew members remaining in their quarters.

The crewmember who tested positive is reported to be in good condition and has not shown any symptoms of Covid-19.

The local agent for Coral Islander is Samoa Pacific Shipping.

This is the second ship with coronavirus infected crewmembers on board to arrive in port. The first was the container ship Fesco Askol, which was in port last month.