Vanuatu’s Prime Minister (PM), honourable Bob Loughman made a public announcement, confirming the two active COVID-19 cases that entered Vanuatu from New Caledonia on 22 October 2021 are now in isolation at Vila Central Hospital.

The test results from the Doherty Institute in Australia on the variant of COVID-19 for these two cases imported from New Caledonia indicated that the COVID-19 variant is delta.

Repatriation protocols and mandatory 14-day quarantine have been successful at containing these cases at the border. There is no indication of COVID-19 transmission in the community. At this stage, no additional measures are required or recommended by the Ministry of Health.

Vanuatu’s Prime Minister (PM), honourable Bob Loughman, has strongly appealed to all to continue to vaccinate, as this is the best protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 including the delta variant. To date Vanuatu's rate of vaccination stood at 55% of adults (18 & over) in high priority areas who have received at least 1 dose and and 48% in all areas received at least 1 dose.

None of the 16 out of 18 passengers from the same flight from New Caledonia have developed the symptoms of COVID-19.

Additional contact tracing for the two active cases has now been completed. Tracing indicates there is no evidence of breaches in quarantine procedures. There is no evidence of any additional COVID-19 cases in Vanuatu. There is also no indication of any risk of COVID-19 transmission in the community.

The Ministry of Health is advising the public of it's new national COVID-19 vaccination target proposed by the Heath Emergency Advisory Committee that serves as a road map towards the re-opening of the borders. The target includes having 90 % coverage of eligible adult population with at least one dose of vaccine by the end of 2021 and 70% of the adult population fully vaccinated which is the two doses of the current vaccines by the end of March 2022.

Vaccination coverage throughout the country  continued to be in a good progress to make sure everyone is ready for a return to the new normal through the of international borders. This will see tourists and other travelers coming into the country.  The Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (VFIPA) strongly advises  businesses to continue to prepare and to make sure that employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine to help protect themselves, families including business communities and the future of the nation.