Micronesia’s first COVID-19 outbreak balloons, causing alarm

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Micronesia’s first outbreak of COVID-19 has grown in one week to more than 1,000 cases and is causing alarm in the Pacific island nation. Last week, Micronesia likely became the final nation in the world with a population of more than 100,000 to experience an outbreak of the disease. Micronesia had largely avoided the virus for two-and-a-half years thanks to its geographic isolation and border controls. Health officials said cases were rapidly increasing. It reported 140 new cases Monday, bringing the total to 1,261, a figure which includes some border cases from before the outbreak.