The country’s official immunization rate is approximately 70%, although the health minister believes it might be higher. Due to their isolation from foreign travel, the islands have mostly stayed free of COVID during the pandemic.
COVID infections are on the rise in the Marshall Islands as the Pacific nation deals with its first outbreak in a community.
Before the current wave of cases, there had been no transmissions inside the island group, which is situated around 2,500 miles south of Hawaii and 3,000 miles east of the Philippines.
In a recent Facebook post, the minister of health, Jack Niedenthal, stated that 75% of those tested on the main island of Majuro returned positive results.
Approximately sixty COVID cases were reported in the Marshall Islands during the pandemic before the present outbreak.
Now, over 3,000 individuals have tested positive, with over 1,000 testings positive in the 24 hours leading up to Saturday.
Weekends tend to have lower reporting rates, therefore the true numbers may be higher.
According to the health minister, there have been seven hospitalizations and two deaths.
The islands have a population of approximately 60,000, and the immunization rate is approximately 70%.
However, Mr. Niedenthal estimates the genuine vaccination rate is closer to 85 percent due to the decline in population over the preceding decade.
People are urged to seek clinical treatment only if they are experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, confusion, or a high fever.
Those suffering from mild symptoms have been instructed to relax, drink water, and take paracetamol.
Mr. Niedenthal thinks that a lockdown is unlikely: “Some have suggested lockdowns.
Simply put, lockdowns with this Omicron BA.5 variant do not function.
Both historical and scientific evidence supports this conclusion. As it turns out, this variant spread over [the Federated States of Micronesia] three times quicker than the CDC model had expected.
This is because the majority of Micronesians reside in houses with large families.
He stated that he expects cases to be resolved within a month.
Over the past two years, the Marshall Islands have maintained their mainly COVID-free status by restricting international visitation.
The British Foreign Office’s official advice states, “A comprehensive ban on international travel to the Marshall Islands remains in effect, and commercial flights to and from the islands remain extremely limited. There are only a few repatriation flights.”
Two experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been dispatched to the islands to assist with outbreak management.
