Over 500 fly home to Easter Island

EASTER ISLAND – Over 500 people have been repatriated from continental Chile to Rapa Nui, or Easter Island.

The islanders flew home on two special charter flights from Chile’s capital after being cleared of Covid-19 symptoms.

Covid-19 tests were provided at Santiago airport by the island’s indigenous community, the Ma’u Henua, to minimise risk to Rapa Nui.

Testing detected 25 people with coronavirus symptoms who were prevented from boarding. Sixteen of them then tested positive for the virus.

The residents who flew to Rapa Nui were mainly continental Chilean migrants and some indigenous islanders.

They would now be quarantined on island for two weeks before being allowed into the community.

The flights were the first to Rapa Nui since it went into self-imposed quarantine in early March.

Along with the passengers, it brought much needed supplies from the mainland.

>RNZ