As of today, the 29th of March, there are no new cases of COVID-19 in Fiji. After testing over 330 suspected cases –– many of whom were in direct contact with our first five patients –– all other results have returned negative. Meanwhile, the five Fijians living with COVID-19 are all in stable condition.

From the moment the threat of a global pandemic was clear, our medical teams have been preparing to identify and isolate the virus if it arrived in Fiji. We acted decisively when our first case was confirmed and –– due to our diligence ––  we know where every one of our first five cases originated. We’ve also been successful in identifying and isolating or quarantining their closest contacts –– we have now accounted for the over 300 passengers who flew on the same flights as the first patient –– all of those passengers who are in Fiji have been directed to self-quarantine for 14 days.

I appreciate that our lockdown measures and travel restrictions haven’t been easy for everyone –– but it is clear these were the right measures taken at the right time to lockdown this virus.

Through the intensive work of our contact tracing teams, doctors, nurses, health inspectors, police officers, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces personnel, and the support staff from across government, we’ve done extremely well surveilling for, testing and containing new cases.

But even if we throw every resource in government at our response effort, without widespread public compliance, we will not win the war on coronavirus –– and we are at war, make no mistake.

I know every Fijian wants to stop this virus dead in its tracks. I know we all want to get back to the business of living normally as soon as it is safe to do so –– it’s high time every Fijian starts supporting and adhering to the government’s measures to keep them safe and beat this virus once and for all.

We are doing everything that needs to be done to urgently contain this virus. Everyone who gets off our flights is being quarantined in government-funded, designated centres, and monitored. We have been relentlessly tracking down contacts, monitoring self-quarantines, and testing hundreds of suspected cases. And every day, we are actively ramping up these efforts even more –– preparing and expanding our facilities, setting up new fever clinics, scoping out new isolation centres to prepare for the worst-case scenario. We cannot, and will not, rest so long as COVID-19 poses a risk to the Fijian people.

So, while we may not have a new case yet –– that fact shouldn’t lull anyone into a false sense of security. In fact, every person in Fiji should act as if anyone, anywhere could be a carrier of the virus. Act as if you –– or someone you love –– are already Fiji’s next case of COVID-19.

I’m not trying to scare anyone. But I do want every person watching or listening to recognise the role they have to play. Because all it takes is one careless, symptomatic person to undo all of our diligence and discipline in defeating this virus for good.

This is a crisis, lives are on the line, the economy is on the line, and we all must treat this situation with total seriousness.

No matter where you are in Fiji –– treat this crisis seriously. If you’re at the market, at your place of work, or at a government office –– treat this crisis seriously; keep a safe distance of two metres between you and others as much as humanly possible, wash your hands with soap and water, and unless you are getting food, going to work, or doing something else vital to your life or for your livelihood, stay at home. Help keep the elderly at home. Keep your children at home. And think critically about how you go about your day-to-day life. When you touch something that somebody else has touched, you could spread the disease, whether that’s mixing your kava, sharing a cigarette, coughing without covering your mouth, or even spitting on the ground –– all of these activities can put people at risk.

If you’ve been directed into compulsory self-quarantine, or know someone who has been ordered into quarantine –– treat this crisis seriously. Stay where you’ve been directed to stay so we can contain the virus if it rears its ugly head.

Because if you break government-imposed quarantine –– or any of our other rules –– you will end up paying the price. When we passed our COVID-19 Response Budget, we also gave teeth to our enforcement under the Public Health Act. It used to be a $40 fine if anyone violated our COVID-19 health protection measures; now, it’s five years in prison and up to a 10,000-dollar fine, or both. Law-breakers be warned –– we will have zero tolerance for those recklessly risking the lives of themselves or others.

But I know there are also thousands of Fijians out there who are actually doing the right thing. I’m speaking of the supermarket managers who have properly spaced out their check-out lines to enforce physical distancing; the restaurants who have cut their seating and who are switching over to take-aways and deliveries; the villages that have locked down and enforced strict physical distancing; the parents keeping close watch of their children; and all those who have deferred and downsized their weddings, religious services, kava sessions, parties and other plans to respect our ban on gatherings of 20 or more. Keep up the good work, and demand your fellow citizens follow your lead.

Over and over, Fijians have heard me talk about the essential steps needed to contain the spread of the virus.  These have all been matters of personal responsibility –– because while the government can make these recommendations, or even hand out punishments, ultimately, individual action, and individual responsibility, will be what wins this war –– because there’s no other option; this is a war we cannot afford to lose.

Today, I want to stress another way in which you can demonstrate responsibility, and play your part in combating coronavirus: break the stigma around those who are seeking care. I understand that these are already scary times, and it may be intimidating to visit our health centres –– particularly, the new fever clinics that we’ve put up throughout Fiji. But anyone who has a fever, even if you don’t have a recent travel history, should visit one of these clinics, and encourage your loved ones and neighbours to do the same.

This is particularly important as Fiji enters the flu season –– a virus that shares many of the symptoms of COVID-19. Let me be clear: There is no shame in being sick. There is no shame in having the flu, a fever, or coronavirus. By seeking treatment for your sickness, and by reporting your symptoms as soon as they develop, you are being incredibly responsible, and you are looking out for more than yourself; you’re taking care of those around you, and you’re taking care of those you love.

If you’re spreading rumours, or whispering about those who are visiting our fever clinics, you’re damaging our containment efforts. Anyone who goes to get a check-up should be praised –– they are playing a crucial role in keeping COVID-19 at bay. The only shame comes in hiding your symptoms, or by being dishonest –– that is what ultimately spreads this silent killer.

Take a moment to think about it this way: Think of everywhere you’ve been, everything you’ve been up to and how you’ve been feeling over the past 14 days. Have you been acting like a responsible Fijian? Have you been physically distancing yourself from others? Have you been avoiding travel unless absolutely necessary? If you’ve been feeling sick, or know someone who is sick, have you told anyone? Or have you acted in reckless ways that have put your fellow Fijians at risk?

Winning this war begins with winning the small battles, every day, in all of our lives. So, let’s use positive social pressure to encourage our friends and family to visit these fever clinics if they’re having a fever, wherever they live in Fiji. Visiting these clinics is a win for everyone involved; it’s a win for you in detecting your sickness early. It’s a win for your family and your community, as they will be protected from the spread. It’s a win for our COVID-19 containment efforts, because even in the worst-case scenario, you will be treated and isolated early, saving lives in the process. And it’s a win for your country –– because we are all in this fight together.

In the days ahead, I want to see that same spirit of positive social pressure in the Lautoka confined area, as this week will prove absolutely critical in determining whether –– come Friday morning –– we either lift restrictions or have to extend them. If even one of you fails to follow the rules and –– God forbid –– this virus spreads within Lautoka, all of you will stay on lockdown even longer.

So, to those currently in the Lautoka confined zone, you all need to ensure the rules are followed, and encourage each other –– your community, and everyone you see –– to do the same. There’s only five days left; pull up your socks, keep to the rules and get your city through this –– together.

On the subject of following the rules, I want to take some time to talk about an additional measure that I announced in Parliament last Friday –– a new, nationwide curfew that will be enforced from 10pm at night until 5am in the morning, every night, everywhere in Fiji. Starting tomorrow, the 30th of March, the police will have over 100 permanent checkpoints set up all throughout the country, to be supplemented with more, temporary checkpoints as the need arises.

Yesterday, we met with a number of stakeholders –– members of the business community, utility companies, manufacturers, and others –– to sort out the logistics of this curfew, ensuring that it will be enforced in a way that is mindful of those workers who need to travel during the curfew hours for their jobs, like shift workers, bakers and fishermen and women, security guards, utility employees and, of course, our healthcare workers. If you’re seeking medical care, or who have some other emergency to tend to you are also permitted to travel. We will not allow the curfew measures to stop work, end business service or halt the flow of goods.

But the main message for the vast majority of Fijians is this: Between the hours of 10 at night and 5 in the morning, no wandering the streets. Unless you have an emergency or are working, going to work, or coming home from work then you need to be at home during curfew. If you’re caught out without a valid reason, you’ll face serious consequences. This is about responsibility. This about making hard calls today that spare us future suffering and that get us past the worst of this virus sooner, rather than later. An abundance of caution today will bring an expedient end to this crisis, get all of our businesses open again, and get life back to normal as soon as possible.

Please also note that, in the interest of convenience and due to travel restrictions, every existing work permit in Fiji will be automatically extended for the next three months. The Permanent Secretary for Immigration will issue details soon on this proactive measure.

Minister Premila Kumar is here with me today, and she will be talking about the steps both employers and employees will need to take to ensure the curfew is implemented without a hitch, and also be explaining how our markets and their vendors will adjust to both our physical distancing measures and new curfew.  The Commissioner of Police is here to answer any other questions relating to the new curfew.

But we also recognise that our strictly-enforced curfew –– in addition to our directives for all Fijians to stay at home at all hours of the day –– will have unseen social consequences. More families living in closer proximity and spending more time in confined spaces and temporary job losses can lead to tensions. Sadly, we may see a spike in domestic violence. Spouses or children may feel trapped in their home with their abusers. Fijians should know that we are acutely aware of this, and it is not an issue we are taking lightly. That’s why I’m also joined by Minister Vuniwaqa, who can speak more about the support the Ministry of Women is able to provide to those looking for help in these already-difficult times.

My fellow Fijians,

As I mentioned in Parliament last week, we had two evacuation flights come in from Australia and New Zealand over the weekend to get Fijians back home and return foreign nationals to their countries. While Nadi Airport is closed to regular passenger travel, these flights were critical to repatriate people and bring in some essential supplies –– including one million dollars’ worth of personal protective equipment like masks, gowns and goggles, for our frontline health workers. Rest assured, every passenger who has landed in Fiji has immediately entered compulsory quarantine in government-funded designated areas, under close supervision by medical teams and personnel of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. They will not interact with anyone from the public for at least 14 days. Additionally, from 6pm tomorrow, inter-island flights will cease, except for freight purposes. This comes on top of our ban on inter-island passenger shipping travel, which takes effect from today.

Even though we haven’t seen a huge rise in cases, we’re still preparing as if a disaster scenario could be upon us any day. In addition to our isolation wards in each division, we have identified and prepared well-equipped surge locations in case the capacity of our hospitals is tested. Our outreach teams are across the country raising community awareness of how to combat coronavirus. Those Fijians under compulsory self-quarantine are receiving check-in calls and in-person visits by members of our disciplined forces and health workers.

But even in our best-case scenario, even if we eradicate this virus in Fiji, and even if we’re able to resume much of normal life, many Fijian businesses and families are in for a very difficult few months –– at least. Australia, New Zealand and the United States are all battling extremely serious COVID-19 outbreaks, and flows of tourism and trade will either be cut off or slowed for the foreseeable future. In fact, New Zealand, I’m sad to report, has just recorded their first death from the virus.

Last Thursday, we announced our COVID-19 Response Budget which properly equips our hospitals and rolls out a one-billion-dollar stimulus package to extend financial lifelines to some of the most severely affected Fijians to keep economic activity alive, even in these strenuous times. If the situation continues to go downhill, new measures of support will be provided. So, to the countless Fijians anxious about what the future holds –– know that you are not alone. Your government will be there to support you through however many weeks or months it takes for the world to beat this virus. We feel your suffering, and we are working every hour of the day to return our lives, our businesses, and our country to normal as quickly as humanly possible.

In the meantime, we will continue to keep you updated on what we’re doing, what we’ve done and –– most importantly –– what we’re prepared to do if deemed medically necessary.

This Tuesday we’ll be rolling out a new COVID-19 Call Centre to handle all concerns relating to COVID-19 and our response measures, with one toll-free number anyone can call. Until Tuesday, if you, or someone you’ve had contact with, has recently travelled overseas and you are experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 –– even if those symptoms are as mild as a sore throat or cough –– you can call the following numbers:

In the Central Division call 2219905;
In the Eastern Division call 2219906;
In the Western Division call 2219907; and
In the Northern Division call 2219908.

On this Sunday, I’d like to extend one final thank you to all of the faith leaders from all religions across the country who have led by example in keeping their followers away from gatherings of 20 or more people, and who have been praying for Fiji in the wake of this global crisis. Because even in a time when religious services cannot take place due to this virus, remember, we Fijian always draw our greatest strength from faith –– never from fear. While large gatherings pose too great a risk, God will always be with us, wherever we are and wherever we pray and however we pray.

My fellow Fijians –– don’t let up now. Double-down on your efforts. Wash your hands twice as often this week. Stay at home as much as possible, and adhere to our new curfew. Let’s lock down this virus. Let’s win this war –– together.

I’ll now pass things over to Doctor Aalisha.

Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. And God Bless Fiji.

Once again, I’m joining you after a comprehensive update from our medical experts, along with the World Health Organization, on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Globally, there are now over 414,000 confirmed cases in 194 countries and territories. Hundreds are dying every day. We’re seeing a troubling trend of a 10% day-over-day increase in total cases –– indicating the worst of the spread is yet to come.

As you all know, Fiji confirmed our first COVID-19 case last week on the 19th of March 2020.

Our first patient, along with the three others diagnosed since, are all in stable condition. All four remain safely isolated from the public.

With every case of the virus, our contact tracing team has been aggressively identifying, quarantining and testing every person who came into contact with any of the confirmed COVID-19 patients.

That team quickly determined that our first patient –– the flight attendant from Lautoka –– attended a Zumba class while he was displaying symptoms. All members of that class were directed to self-quarantine the same day our first patient was diagnosed, the 19th of March. They were each instructed to immediately alert our medical teams if they began developing symptoms.

Yesterday, four days into compulsory self-quarantine, one of the class members, a 31-year-old woman, began displaying symptoms. During their Zumba class, she worked out in close proximity with the first patient and shared a hug. When she later recognised her symptoms, she notified our rapid response medical teams, who securely and hygienically transported her via ambulance to the isolation ward at Lautoka Hospital. She was tested. Early this morning, she was confirmed as Fiji’s fifth case of COVID-19.

Once again, we’re lucky that this patient was in quarantine when her symptoms first developed. She shares a household with nine others –– two of whom were also showing symptoms and have been isolated in Lautoka Hospital. The other seven remain under strict quarantine in the home, which is under constant police surveillance.

For anyone out there still asking why we’ve had to shut down the Lautoka confined area, this case is exactly why. We knew there was a risk that our first patient may have spread the virus to others. That is why we did not hesitate in shutting down movement into and out of the Lautoka confined area. No one in and no one out. If we hadn’t done so, this new patient could have traveled to other parts of Fiji, potentially exposing others and vastly complicating our contact tracing efforts.

As for the case we identified yesterday –– the young man who caught the virus in Sydney – we don’t have any major updates. He is in isolation at Navua Hospital, in stable condition, as are all of the other members of his household.

Now I need to take a moment to give all Fijians a hard lesson in honesty and responsibility.

As we know, our first patient was a flight attendant in Lautoka. According to his first statement, he only began showing symptoms a day before he was admitted to hospital.

Our subsequent investigations revealed that unfortunately, we weren’t given the full story. Witnesses tell us he had been showing symptoms, including coughing, days prior and that he failed to place himself in self-quarantine. So, our contact tracing had to be extended further back to identify even more people he may have contacted and get them into quarantine as well.

This is water under the bridge; none of us should waste time targeting or vilifying our first patient –– we all have much more important work to focus on. Most of the individuals we’ve had to contact have been placed in compulsory self-quarantine. However, there are still six individuals, all in the Western Division, who have yet to come forward. The updated list of these names is again posted on the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page.

This goes to show two things: Number one, the measures restricting travel out of the Lautoka confined area remain vital. Those measures will remain in effect for at least the next eight days depending on the outcomes of our contact tracing. We won’t hesitate to extend those restrictions if necessary.

Number two, every Fijian needs to tell the truth to our health officials. If you lie, you could cost people their very lives. Be honest with our doctors, nurses, police officers, and medical teams about where you’ve been, who you have seen and, if you’re unwell, tell them exactly when you started feeling sick. Help them help you, and help Fiji beat this virus. By being dishonest, you aren’t protecting your loved ones from isolation; you are putting their lives in danger, and you risk infecting many more. Ask yourself: Would you rather them be in isolation for a couple of weeks, or lose them forever?

The answer to that question is obvious. But some people still don’t seem to get what is at stake here. Our police are actively investigating reports that 36 Fiji Airways flight attendants have blatantly violated their self-quarantine, sharing grog and interacting with their friends and caregivers from outside the quarantine area.

To those not following our instructions, I have to ask: Is this a joke to you? What in God’s name are you thinking? While Fijians in Lautoka are living under a lockdown, while our health workers work day and night to test and treat patients, and while the elderly are restricted to their homes, these Fijians are spitting on all of the sacrifices their fellow Fijians are making to keep our country safe.

Self-quarantine isn’t a voluntary measure. It’s not simply a “nice thing to do”. It is a compulsory, legally-mandated order. And these Fijians will be investigated. If necessary, they will be arrested, charged and punished accordingly. So, if you have been directed to self-quarantine and you’re hearing this message, ask yourself: Where would you rather be? Quarantined in the comfort of your home for 14 days, or in prison for violating the law?

In Fiji, being a flight attendant is a highly-competitive job –– hundreds, if not thousands, of Fijians strive for each position filled. It should be a position you hold with pride, and one you don’t take for granted. Because I can say that if irresponsible behaviour like this continues, Fiji Airways should not hesitate to clean house and replace you with people who take their duty of care seriously. Your behaviour in-flight, and the protective measures that you take to ensure the safety of your cabin, should be no different than they are on the ground when you’re caring for your own community.

If we hadn’t been alerted of this breach, and even one of these flight attendants had COVID-19 –– who then shared a bilo with 35 others, who were then in contact with others still from outside of quarantine –– the situation could quickly spiral out of control. Let’s assume they infected three others, just like our first patient. Let’s then assume those three people each infected three more, and each day, that number multiplied. In a matter of days, hundreds would be infected. In a matter of about one week, we’d be talking thousands of cases.

This is precisely the path we’ve seen other countries who failed to take this virus seriously from the start. In Italy, they have one of the most developed healthcare systems in the world, but they’re up to nearly 7,000 deaths. There are heartbreaking stories of doctors being forced to choose between patients based on their age; knowing that they don’t have enough resources to save every patient, especially the elderly and vulnerable. If you have a moment, go online, find a video of an Italian hospital and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

In Fiji, we’re working overtime to avoid that nightmare scenario. We are quickly acquiring new beds and ventilators, and taking other measures that will be announced by our Honourable Attorney-General and Minister for Economy in tomorrow’s supplementary budget address. But the fact is, if what happened in Italy happens in Fiji, our healthcare system would buckle. The grim reality is that in Fiji, the number of deaths for this many cases would likely be much, much higher.

Globally, some countries are combating this virus more effectively than others. South Korea has shown exemplary viral management. The name of the game for the South Koreans is this: Efficient testing, efficient tracing, travel bans, efficient isolating and efficient quarantining. We’re adhering to those same steps –– with a focus on efficiency –– to keep this situation under control here in Fiji.

But even with all of our officers, doctors, nurses and experts, we cannot succeed without the aid of every Fijian. I’m going to keep saying this until everyone gets it: Fiji is at war with the coronavirus. We cannot see our enemy. But we must act as if the enemy is in our midst at all times. You can join the fight by washing your hands with soap and water, practicing physical distancing –– remember, two metres’ distance is safest –– and following any and every directive given to you by authorities. And if you’re told to quarantine, do it. Do it, or we’ll make you do it.

Today certainly merited a scolding, but it also merits a big vinaka to those Nadi residents who have shown the best of Fiji by reporting these issues as soon as they came to light. Anyone else who sees anything amounting to a violation of our health protection measures should call the police immediately.

Fiji now has two cases imported from overseas. From tomorrow, Nadi Airport will be officially shut down to all scheduled passenger travel. There are currently three flights inbound to Fiji carrying Fijians returning home from overseas, these passengers will all be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

We know there are still some Fijians overseas seeking to come home. We’re exploring safe, low-risk evacuation measures to get these folks home. We’re also working closely with embassies here in Fiji to repatriate foreign nationals still on our shores and get them home as well.

We’re seriously concerned about the virus ever reaching any of our outer island communities. From this Sunday, the 29th of March, all passenger travel to our outer islands will cease. Shipping lines for freight will continue –– with increased bulk but decreased frequency –– to ensure food and other essential goods are supplied across our islands. Anyone who regularly travels these routes should decide over the next four days where they’d prefer to spend the next few months.

Our ban on gatherings of 20 or more people remains in effect. I want to make sure every Fijian knows that, if you have a death in the family, you can proceed with a burial, so long as you limit any gatherings to fewer than 20 people.

Given the number of Fijians in isolation and under compulsory self-quarantine, it is likely we’ll confirm more cases in the near future. That is why it’s vital everyone, everywhere in Fiji, continues to avoid all non-essential travel. Children should stay at home. The elderly should stay at home. For everyone else, outside of going to work, buying food, medicine or essential goods, getting money or accessing a life-sustaining service, do not leave the house.

My fellow Fijians, the average age of our five confirmed COVID-19 patients in Fiji is 27 years old. Let that go to show, none of us are immune. Though some age groups will see more deadly effects, all of us can catch the virus and pass it on to others; all of us must act to prevent ourselves from becoming carriers. All it can take is one person –– one single person of any age –– to make bad decisions while carrying the virus, and suddenly this outbreak is out of control.

As I said yesterday: Be diligent. Be compassionate. And put those values into practice in everything you do.

If you, or someone you’ve had contact with, has recently travelled overseas and you are experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 –– even if those symptoms are as mild as a sore throat or cough –– immediately call the following numbers:

In the Central Division call 2219905;
In the Eastern Division call 2219906;
In the Western Division call 2219907; and
In the Northern Division call 2219908.

I’ll now turn things over to Dr Tudravu.

Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you, and God bless Fiji.