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Palau was one of the last countries in the world without Covid. Palau got its first positive Covid-test result on May 9, 2021. The positive test came from a traveler said to have been infected in January 2021. This traveler was fully vaccinated prior to traveling to Palau. According to President Surangel Whipps Jr. and Dr. Yano, the case is “historical” meaning the traveler was infected in the past and remnants of the previous illness can be detected by tests.
The traveler did submit a negative covid test (PCR), underwent the 14 day quarantine and took two tests that showed negative results. The traveler then took a final test, which is required, and tested positive which was later determined, after further testing, to be remnants of previous covid infection.
Even though the traveler had exceeded the incubation period or the 14 days quarantine as recommended by US Center for Disease Control (CDC), Ministry of Health, “due to overabundance of caution” has placed the traveler in isolation and commenced contact tracing. In addition, people close to the traveler have been quarantined, according to report from EOC Deputy Incident Commander Gaafar Uherbelau.
All the other travelers that arrived on the same flight were tested and had negative PCR test results on day 21 with exception of this one traveler.
Dr. Victor Yano at the press conference explained that three different analyzing machines used at MOH showed that the traveler with positive results had very high cycle threshold (CT value), which means that the case is not infectious and has very low to no risk of transmission.