The United Nations said it would try to maintain Tonga's Covid-free status in the relief effort following the volcano eruption and subsequent tsunami that hit the Pacific island nation.

Any humanitarian efforts to help the remote kingdom will follow the country's strict protocols for keeping out the coronavirus pandemic, UN agencies told reporters in Geneva, AFP reports.

“Tonga is a zero-Covid country,” said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“They have very strict protocols for that. One of the first rules of humanitarian action is 'do no harm',” he said.