Cook Islands records first Covid death

The Cook Islands, a tiny South Pacific nation, confirmed its first coronavirus-related death on Sunday, more than two years after the outbreak began.

On the island of Aitutaki late Saturday, a 63-year-old woman with underlying health issues died on her way to the hospital.

“It is with great sadness that I announce that we have just recorded our first in-country death attributed to Covid-19,” Prime Minister Mark Brown said in a statement Sunday.

“She had had all three anti-Covid vaccinations, but also had several serious underlying health conditions.”

The island nation had been remarkably free from Covid-19 until an outbreak of the Omicron variant emerged after it reopened its border to travelers from New Zealand early this year.

“It is tragic, but not unexpected that we might lose someone to Covid,” Brown said.

As of Sunday morning, the Cook Islands Health Ministry stated it has identified 4,727 cases of Covid-19, with 735 of them active.