Samoa

Samoa's Prime Minister has confirmed the sacking of three Cabinet Ministers in a press conference.

Thirty-eight per cent of all cases have had hospital care.

La'auli said he is innocent of charges laid against him.

Samoa's prime minister has terminated Laauli Leuatea Schmidt as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Samoa's police commissioner has clarified the charges against the chairman of the country's ruling FAST party, Laauli Leuatea Schmidt.

A whooping cough outbreak was declared in the country in November last year.

Suspected and confirmed cases of whooping cough have reached 127 in Samoa.

Tracy Sialega-Fili worked with Hawaiian Airlines for nearly four years but was terminated this month after getting the tatau in May to honour her father, who has been seriously ill.

Just over half of the cases have required hospital care.

New Zealand Internal Affairs office confirmed the it received 154 applications, 71 of them from Samoa, and over 100 more applications are expected this week.

A whooping cough epidemic was declared in the country on 28 November.

Football Federation Samoa officially opened its FIFA-funded Apia Park Football Complex, costing $12 million tālā (around NZ$7.1m), on Monday.