Rarotanga-- Cook Islands, a coronavirus-free island nation, has vaccinated 96.7 percent of its eligible population against Covid-19, the government reported.
Cook Islands officials said 11,040 of the 11,409 target population have received both shots of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
The South Pacific nation with political links to New Zealand has a population of 17,582. Its economy is based mainly on tourism, with minor exports made up of tropical and citrus fruit.
According to the government's website, Cook Islands is currently on alert level 2.
Its travel bubble with New Zealand has been suspended since New Zealand went into a nationwide lockdown almost a week ago.
"There has been rapid testing in the Cook Islands to check if one of the thousands of New Zealand tourists who have visited the country in recent weeks may have brought in the virus," according to Cook Islands News.
All of the 1,934 tests for Covid-19 have returned negative results.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cooks Islands is one of the very few nations in the world that remain Covid-free.
Its border remains closed to international flights until Aug. 30.
Restrictions on social gatherings, which expire Aug. 30, require that any event with more than 25 people be registered with the health ministry.
All indoor and outdoor events and social gatherings whether private or public are restricted to 100 people unless an exemption is obtained from the Secretary of Health (or delegate).
Subscribe to
our digital
monthy edition