Palau pushes for vaccinations after 1st virus cases

ANKARA

The president of Palau on Wednesday urged citizens to get vaccinated immediately, days after the tiny island nation reported its first two infections and lost its status as the one of the world’s few remaining COVID-free countries.

In a news conference, President Surangel Whipps Jr. said the cases have left “no excuse now [for people] not to get vaccinated.”

He said over 80% of the population has been vaccinated, adding that the government has also approved the Pfizer jab to expedite the immunization campaign.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 27,000 vaccine doses had been administered in Palau by Aug. 8.

Palau, an archipelagic country of some 18,000, currently has two active virus cases and 26 more people are under quarantine, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Pacific nation’s first two COVID-19 patients were travelers who arrived on Aug. 15 from Guam on a United Airlines flight that originated from the US.

The duo was vaccinated and also presented negative test results on entry, but tested positive for the virus their fifth day in Palau.

Authorities moved quickly to trace their close contacts and placed them under quarantine.