Tonga reports its first COVID-19 case from plane traveler

The island nation of Tonga has reported its first-ever case of COVID-19 after a traveler from New Zealand tested positive

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- The island nation of Tonga on Friday reported its first-ever case of COVID-19 after a traveler from New Zealand tested positive.

Tonga is among the few remaining nations in the world that have avoided outbreaks of the virus. Like many of its neighbors, Tonga's isolation has helped keep it safe but it faces big challenges should the virus take hold due to its under-resourced health system.

The nearby nation of Fiji avoided significant outbreaks until April, when the delta variant ripped through the island chain, infecting more than 50,000 people and killing at least 673.

Tonga's Prime Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa said in a radio address that the traveler was among 215 passengers who had arrived on a flight from the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Wednesday and had been isolating at a quarantine hotel.