Samoa’s first COVID-related death is reported to be an elderly man from the Lalomanu district, with a pre-existing medical condition who died on Wednesday, the Lalomanu district hospital has confirmed.

A senior member of staff at the Lalomanu district hospital confirmed the case, telling the Samoa Observer Thursday afternoon that it was an elderly man from the district who died.

"Staff are cleaning up the room where the patient was," the senior member of staff added. 

It is understood the room where the patient was admitted was fumigated and thoroughly cleaned out by hospital staff. 

The Chairman of the National Emergency Operation Centre (N.E.O.C.), Agafili Shem Leo was contacted for a comment but said he has to reconfirm the report.

“We will find out from the field,” he replied.

Agafili said once the data and case information is collected it will be publicised in due course.

Attempts were also made to get a comment from the Assistant Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Health (M.O.H.), Tagaloa Dr. Robert Thomsen.

However, in a statement released at 9.31pm Thursday the M.O.H. confirmed the death of the man on Wednesday 30 March, which the Ministry said came 13 days after Samoa's first community case was detected. 

"The deceased, a 67-year-old male, had multiple comorbidities. He died shortly after he was admitted to the Lalomanu District Hospital yesterday [Wednesday]," reads the statement. "Out of respect for the family we will not be making any further comments."

The latest COVID-19 statistics released by M.O.H. at 4am on Thursday did not capture a COVID-19 related death as the data was compiled at 2pm on Wednesday. There was also no ICU case in the data provided. 

According to the press statement from the Ministry 172 new community cases were reported bringing the total number of cumulative community cases since 17 March to 1665 with 1,353 active community cases.

A graph of the cases by age group shows a total of 117 people aged 50–54 are community cases with an additional 72 in the 55–59 age group.

“Approximately 97 percent of community cases are in Upolu with the remaining 3 percent in Savaii,” the report noted. “There are still no community cases recorded for the islands of Manono and Apolima Tai." 

According to the Ministry, the prevalence of COVID-19 infection is significantly higher among those aged 15 to 35. The data also shows an increasing rate of infection among aged 35–55.

• Fuimaono Lumepa Hald contributed to this story. This story was updated at 9.49pm Thursday 31 March to incorporate the Ministry of Health's statement confirming the death.