The Minister of Health believes some people weren’t initially forthcoming with information, after  six new community cases recorded today, four in Vainī, two in Pili.

The six new Tongatapu cases are linked to the initial Covid cases.

The new cases bring the number of active cases to a total of 14 with an earlier case been recovered.

Tongatapu and Vava’u were currently in a two-week extended lockdown since Sunday.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said special and urgent services were conducted in Vainī and Pili this morning to test residents there as part of an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. Health officials will also test people at roadblocks on these two villages’ borders.

People from other places were asked not to go to these two villages except for passing vehicles.

The Minister of Health Saia Piukala said during a press conference this morning the new cases were close contacts of the previous cases number fifth and seventh.

In the Vainī case a family of four were identified as a close contact while the two patients in Pili were people who attended a kava session together with one of the active cases.

Hon Piukala urged the public to tell the truth and help the Ministry of Health with any information they needed about a suspected case.

The Minster has warned that when people withheld information it put the whole community at risk of contracting the virus.