There has been little international coverage to the spread of COVID-19 on the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Working on Saipan, which is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands are 124 Mongolian workers – and they want to come home. They first arrived on the US-administered island in August, 2019 under an agreement between Junson Construction and Imperial Pacific International.

The workers have applied to the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Road and Transport Development as well as the US Embassy in Mongolia.

The Mongolian workers have been isolating at home since 30 March as Saipan reported four confirmed COVID-19 cases including the death of a 70-year-old male from the disease. According to the 124, they have said that none of them are showing symptoms of coronavirus infection.

Because of Saipan’s location in the West Pacific, it has been proposed evacuating the Mongolian workers home via South Korea.