The number of COVID-19-positive cases being recorded by the Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) continues to increase with 41 new positive cases detected through PRC and Rapid Antigen Tests (R.A.T.) at fixed sites and zero detected at borders, the Ministry says.

The positivity rate has also increased from 4.68 percent to 6.14 percent in just a week. The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases altogether both border and community cases increased to 16,884.

The latest or 49th Syndromic surveillance and COVID-19 update by M.O.H recorded from the 4th to the 12th of this month also updated that COVID-19-related deaths since 22 March last year remains at 31.

"The Ministry of Health continues to encourage all the eligible population especially those who are high risk to get their booster doses at any health facility in Upolu and Savaii," M.O.H stated.

A week before that, the Ministry also recorded 32 new positive cases which was a spike from 25 new cases also recorded before that following the Director General of Health, Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma saying there are more COVID-19 cases amongst the public as research by one of their laboratories has uncovered that Rapid Antigen Test (R.A.T.) tests underestimates the positivity of the virus.

"It’s quite interesting today that we heard some research that was done by our other laboratory that has shown that our R.A.D. tests necessarily used, not generally ours, actually underestimates the positivity of COVID-19," he said in a previous interview.

"So if we say that there’s 10 positive cases from  it doesn’t mean that there’s 10, it could be more than that because the R.A.T. tests underestimate."

Meanwhile, for influenza-like Illnesses, the total number of cases reported has dropped from 696 to 578 for the same period with the Ministry advising the public to remain vigilant, despite the low threshold.

"The ILI cases reported are below the alert threshold. However, the Ministry of Health still highly recommends the general public to continue the practice of preventative measures such as – wearing masks especially when you’re having flu-like symptoms such as cough and runny nose, hand hygiene, and avoiding large gatherings without masks," said the MOH.

"If you are feeling ill with flu-like symptoms, please see a nurse or doctor, stay home, and take medications as prescribed."

Last week, Samoa Observer visited the main national hospital in Motootua and witnessed that patients visiting the hospital have started wearing their face masks again.

A security guard at the outpatient entrance told this newspaper that the public are to wear their face masks at all times at the hospital with the increasing number of flu and COVID-19.