Health authorities have reported 164 new community cases of COVID-19 to increase the total number of cases in Samoa to 2,443 amid the recovery of over 900 people.

Ministry of Health (M.O.H.) data released by the Government's Press Secretariat at 8.13am Monday show a total of 2,443 community cases have now been recorded, since the first case was detected at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital on 17 March 2022.

Upolu continues to lead in terms of total number of COVID-19 cases with 2,386 followed by Savai'i with 57 as of Sunday 3 April 2022. Manono-Tai and Apolima-Tai are yet to record any cases (M.O.H. has not done tests on both islands since the first community case was detected last month).

Out of the total 2,443 cases, health authorities report that 1,514 are active cases, while 927 who tested positive for the virus are now fully recovered.

The Ministry's data includes the 4 historical cases from the repatriation flight NZ990 from Auckland, New Zealand last Wednesday 29 March 2022 to bring the total number of cases at the border since November 2020 to 56. However, these cases are not considered active and therefore not included in the active cases total.

There are currently 12 people being isolated at the National Hospital Moto’otua. The M.O.H. has also confirmed another COVID-19 related death in the last 24 hours which brings the cumulative total number of deaths for COVID-19 to two (2).

A total of 23,419 rapid antigen tests [RATs] has also been administered nationwide by the Ministry to date.

In terms of COVID-19 community cases by age group, people aged 25–29 years continue to lead with 308 cases, followed by 20–24 years (261 cases), 30–34 years (253 cases), 15–19 years (236 cases) and 35–39 years (204 cases) to round off the top five age groups.

For children who have tested positive, 147 cases have been reported for those aged 0–4 years, followed by 10–14 years with 126 cases and 5–9 years with 68 cases. And people aged 65-plus years, M.O.H. data shows 129 cases being recorded.