PINA

Fiji's Health Ministry says it is aware that there may be a need for booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines if the Delta strain were to mutate. Delta has been identified as highly transmissible, however, tests overseas have confirmed that the AstraZeneca vaccine is highly effective against the strain. Head of Vaccination Taskforce, Doctor Rachel Devi said as of now, local authorities...

Leaders of Pacific regional countries and territories have agreed that the region's maritime boundaries need to be recognised globally in perpetuity. They met in a Pacific Islands Forum virtual summit on Friday marking the regional body's 50th anniversary. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern emerged from the summit saying they had “endorsed a declaration on maritime zones: to protect the ocean...

The fires, floods and extreme weather seen around the world in recent months are just a foretaste of what can be expected if global heating takes hold, scientists say, as the world’s leading authority on climate change prepares to warn of an imminent and dire risk to the global climate system. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will on...

The rollout of vaccines to protect children against cervical cancer, pneumonia, and rotavirus has begun in Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. The deployment of these three vaccines is part of the US$29.7 million System Strengthening for Effective Coverage of New Vaccines in the Pacific Project, which is supporting the introduction of these vaccines in Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Financed by...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has joined leaders of the Pacific to call for stronger Pacific solidarity, renewed efforts to COVID-19 pandemic response, and tougher action on climate change. The Prime Minister joined 12 other leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), including its secretariat, during a virtual retreat Friday to mark its efforts over the last 50...

Kiribati has extended its border closure to 31 December 2021. A statement from the Office of the President said the decision was made after thoroughly assessing the current status of the pandemic. The extension will remain in force until a new advisory has been issued to lift it when the situation improves. Special approvals will be obtained for humanitarian flights for medical...

Current climate policies mean the world is on course for up to 3.9 degrees of heating, which would see a number of Pacific Island countries go under the ocean due to sea level rise, according to a new report released today by Greenpeace Australia Pacific. Te Mana,o te Moana 2021 analyses each country's climate commitments as part of the Paris...

Four Micronesian leaders skipped the Pacific Island Forum's 51st virtual session last Friday, in a continuing protest over the organisation's refusal to assign the leadership post to the subregion. Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama's official apology proved not convincing enough to break the impasse and appease the Micronesian leaders. The Micronesian nations-- Palau, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati and...

Fiji has recorded 657 new cases of COVID-19 and three new deaths Sunday, increasing the total number of cases in the Pacific nation to 36,909 since the outbreak in April. Permanent secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said 256 cases are from the Western division and 401 cases are from the Central division in Vitilevu, Fiji's main island. On Saturday, Fiji...

Tokelau will roll-out the second dose of its Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination programme on Tuesday. It follows the successful administration of the first inoculations on 20 July 2021. “Tokelau has vaccinated 99% of her population against COVID-19 in the first round of vaccinations and the leadership are very proud of that achievement,” stated the Ulu o Tokelau, Kelihiano Kalolo. The programme is mandatory...