Australian, British aid arrives in Tonga

British and Australian navy ships arrived in Tonga on Wednesday and attempted to deliver aid without making contact with anybody ashore to avoid spreading the coronavirus. Nearly two dozen sailors aboard the Australian ship HMASAdelaidewere reported infected on Tuesday.

Since the pandemic began, Tonga has reported just a single case of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the U.S. announced it would provide an additional 2.5 million USD in humanitarian assistance to Tonga. The aid was in addition to an initial pledge of 100,000 USD. Britain said its ship, the HMS Spey, arrived with 30,000 liters of bottled water, medical supplies for more than 300 first aid kits, and basic sanitation products. The Australian government said its ship would deliver supplies without contact with the local population to avoid infections.