Isolated by thousands of miles of ocean, and able to enact strict entry controls, many small Pacific island nations were spared the ravages of COVID-19. But the highly transmissible omicron strain is now infecting islanders for the first time. Curfews and lockdowns have been implemented in Kiribati, Samoa and the Solomon Islands after international travelers tested positive. The tsunami-hit nation of Tonga fears that ship workers delivering aid could also bring a wave of COVID-19 deaths.
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