MORE than thirty people who have recently arrived from Papua New Guinea (PNG) have been released from their quarantine centre, Tuesday.
Majority of them are students who have completed their studies at a number of educational institutions in PNG.
They arrived on a chartered flight fortnight ago.
Since their arrival they spent about two weeks at Honiara Hotel.
They have completed their three COVID-19 tests. The final test was conducted on Tuesday.
In PNG the students have undergone five tests before traveling to Honiara.
Most of them are students who graduated from Divine Word University, Pacific Adventist University, University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), UNITECH and other institutions.
Apart from the students, others are returning nationals who have spent time in PNG over the past months and years.
Their release yesterday means, their tests have returned negative and this week they will be able to spend New Year with their families.
The local nationals were supposed to return during the first week of December, however, due to last months rioting, looting and burning the trip was delayed.
A student told the paper yesterday that it was a relief to be finally home given the borders are again being closed following the threat posed by Omicron.
Meanwhile, students arriving from Fiji on Wednesday 22nd December are currently in quarantine.
Other nationals arriving from Brisbane last Friday are also quarantine.
Two COVID-19 cases were detected from the two groups last week.
As a result all incoming passenger flights have been suspended.
