TONGA GOES INTO LOCKDOWN AFTER FIRST COVID CASE

On 1 November, the South Pacific island nation of Tonga went into lockdown for the first time.

Since the start of the pandemic, Tonga has managed to stay Covid free but has now decided to go into lockdown for seven days.

The lockdown is only applicable to the main island Tongatapu and the more than 170 islands will not be affected.

As with other countries around the world that had gone into lockdown before, the lockdown includes a curfew of 8 PM to 6 AM and the closing of public transport, restaurants, bars, clubs, schools and churches.

CNN reports that the restrictions may sound heavy handed for a nation with only one confirmed Covid case, but until a few days ago, Tonga was one of only a small number of countries not to report a single Covid infection since the virus was detected in late 2019.

It's believed that the virus spread via a traveller from New Zealand. Although the traveller is fully vaccinated and tested negative in New Zealand, the virus has still managed to spread.

The traveller tested positive on their arrival while they were isolated along with other travellers who had just arrived in the country.

Image credit: CNN