Solomon Islands reported 48 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday.

It takes to 81 the number of cases in the country, which until this week had had just a handful of people with the virus.

The cases are spread throughout the country with Ontong Java and parts of Guadalcanal in lockdown.

The outbreak began with the illegal entry of a vessel from Papua New Guinea to Ontong Java last week.

That vessel delivered at least 23 cases of Covid-19.

The virus has since spread to Guadalcanal, prompting a lockdown in Honiara that is due to finish tomorrow morning.

Nine cases are members of the one family which is linked to the Ontonga Java cluster, and who had travelled onto Honiara.

Others are Maritime Authority and Solomon Islands Enterprises Limited staff who came into contact with people from the vessel.

Nine cases are in the Emergency Department at the National Referral Hospital - three are staff and the rest are patients.

The Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the Emergency Department was closed as of Wednesday night.