Sogavare also revealed that two individuals from an earlier flight last year have reactivated and are now positive for COVID-19, after initially testing negative.

The two reactivated cases are from the UK based soccer players. He says both of them are currently in isolation and are being monitored.

He says the latest development means the total cases of positive COVID-19 recorded in the Solomon Islands is now 18.

Health authorities are now testing passengers that arrived on the latest repatriation flight that arrived on Sunday. All of them have been accommodated at various locations East of Honiara.

Since some of the passengers are considered high risk no one on the flight will be allowed to be accommodated West of the Lungga bridge.