First cases on the island of Palau, only 13 "Covid free" states

• Covid: infections on the decline for the first time in weeks, hospitalizations on the rise

• WHO: over 60 million infected in Europe

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August 23, 2021 It had remained one of 14 countries that had not yet had any cases of Covid, but two tourists have made it lose its status. The small island state of Palau, in the Pacific, is no longer "Covid free", local sources report, although with 80% vaccinated it is likely that there are not many other infections.

The two travelers found positive, a statement from the local health ministry explained, came from Guam, and were quarantined along with known contacts. There should have been no transmission of the virus in the population, which is 18,000 inhabitants. Last October the island inaugurated a "tourist bubble" with Taiwan, which at the time had very few infections.

"The island is no longer" Covid free "- said President Surangel Whipps in the statement - but it is certainly" Covid safe '". According to WHO data, 14 nations had not yet had any cases since the beginning of The thirteen that remain are mostly small states in the Pacific, such as Tonga or Kiribati, with the sole exception of North Korea and Turkmenistan, countries over which many experts hover over the effective control of the population. in the ranking, the US is in first place with over 37 million cases, there are also the Vatican State, with 26 cases, and Greenland, which despite being largely uninhabited has so far had almost 300 infections.