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There are currently 7 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Fiji. The Government will advise the public as soon as possible should this change.

There are 37 Fever Clinics now in operation throughout Fiji.

The Fijian Ministry of Health encourages members of the public to visit a fever clinic if they feel that they are developing any symptoms of COVID-19.

At the fever clinic, Fijians will have their temperature taken and symptoms checked. The symptoms of COVID-19 are a dry cough, fever, sore throat or shortness of breath. Fijians will also be asked if they travelled or have been in contact with someone who has COVID 19.

Health Care Workers will then decide which individuals will be referred for further testing and those to be referred to health centres for common colds and related ailments.

Most of the Clinics are open from 8am-4pm, 7 days a week.

Central Division

1. Lami Town – Tikaram Park
2. Raiwaqa – Raiwaqa Pentecostal Hall
3. Nakasi H/C – Nakasi H/C Car Park
4. Naselai – Nuku District School
5. Valelevu – Valelevu Tennis Court
6. Nausori – Nausori Quarters 2
7. Navua – Navua outside of Hospital (tent)
8. Naitasiri – Vunidawa Hospital outside (tent)
9. Naitasiri – Nakorosule Health Centre outside (tent)
10. Korovou – Tent behind Bus stop at the junction going to hospital

Western Division

1. Lautoka – Punjas H/C
2. Lautoka – Kamikamica H/C
3. Lautoka – Viseisei Health Centre
4. Lautoka – St Thomas High School
5. Tavua – Tavua Hospital in front of Maternity
6. Ba – Ba Mission Hospital (Tent)
7. Ba – Ba Health Centre
8. Ba – Balevuto Health Centre
9. Ba – Nailaga Health Centre
10. Ra – Rakiraki Hospital car Park
11. Nadi – Nadi Hospital
12. Nadi – Bukuya Health Centre
13. Nadi – Namaka Health Centre
14. Sigatoka – Sigatoka Hospital
15. Sigatoka – Cuvu Health Center

NORTHERN DIVISION

1. Labasa – Nasea Health Centre
2. Labasa – Nutrition Training Centre
3. Savusavu – Savusavu Old Public Health Building
4. Taveuni – Waiyevo Health Centre (Outside GOPD)
5. Bua – Nabouwalu Hospital
6. Waimaqera Health Centre – Outside GOPD

EASTERN DIVISION

1. Levuka – Eli Peceli Hall
2. Vanua Balavu – Lomaloma H/C
3. Lakeba – Lakeba Old Nurse Quarters
4. Kadavu – Vunisea Outpatient Foyer
5. Rotuma – Rotuma Hospital
6. Cicia Island – Cicia District School

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

•   fever
•   flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat or headaches; or
•   difficulty breathing.

The Government of Fiji remains on the highest level of alert in response to this global pandemic. We know that finding cases early and isolating them quickly is key to containing this disease. As the symptoms of COVID-19 are very similar to many other respiratory illnesses (including the common cold and influenza) it is expected that the Ministry will continue to investigate more persons with relevant travel history and symptoms related to COVID-19.

What can you do?

The Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services wishes to strongly urge the public to not share rumours and misinformation, and to use credible sources for information on COVID-19:

Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services website:

www.health.gov.fj

Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/MoHFiji/

World Health Organization (WHO) website:

www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

The Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services is monitoring the developing situation and will provide updates regularly to the public.

PRIME MINISTER HON. VOREQE BAINIMARAMA’S MESSAGE TO FIJIAN HEALTHCARE HEROES

In Fiji, our “heroes” are usually found on the rugby field. It’s how we described our 7s champions in 2016’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and it’s how we saw them as they stood proudly to accept their gold medals as the Fijian national anthem played over Brazil.

But as the global COVID-19 pandemic has derailed plans for the 2020 games in Tokyo, resulting in their postponement until next year, a new kind of hero is emerging as the pride of Fiji –– our healthcare heroes. They’re not just scoring tries; they’re saving lives.

These heroes –– our doctors, nurses, disciplined forces and healthcare staff –– are our frontline soldiers in Fiji’s war against the coronavirus. Day in and day out, they don their gowns, face masks and goggles, in isolation wards, hospitals and fever clinics, putting the lives and wellbeing of others before their own in the campaign to lock down coronavirus.

This morning at 5am, our lockdown of the greater Suva confined area came into effect. For the next 14 days, no one is coming in and no one is going out. Some of our essential healthcare workers live outside of the confined area, but work in Suva, others live in Suva and work outside the confined area. Late into last night, three hundred of these Fijians, along with many police officers, packed up and moved into and out of the confined area –– many left their families behind –– all so they can continue their life-saving work in our healthcare facilities and in enforcing our health protection measures.

These Fijians are the heroes we need in the face of the coronavirus crisis. They are the true Most Valuable Players on Team Fiji. They deserve more than our gratitude, they deserve every measure of our vigilance and discipline in our daily lives to stop the spread of this virus. Wash your hands with soap and water, keep a safe distance of two metres from all others, and –– above all else –– stay at home. Stay at home unless you have a life-sustaining reason to leave.

Stay at home, respect the sacrifices of our healthcare heroes and help them save lives. Show them solidarity, share the spirit of vei lomani.
“Vei lomani” doesn’t translate perfectly into the English language, but in iTaukei, it encaptures an emotion that has instilled so many Fijians –– no matter where they live in Fiji, what language they speak or what background they come from –– with hope as we work together to combat coronavirus. We know it as an expression of love, but not in the typical, romantic sense.

Instead, vei lomani is love for those around us, and love shared for the whole of our community. Most importantly, it’s a love that comes with a sense of responsibility, and of duty, to care for one another.

Through their sacrifice, our healthcare heroes have embodied vei lomani. Other Fijians have done the same; those farmers growing and carting produce to bring to the boundaries of confinement areas in Suva and Lautoka, those serving in our disciplinary forces who work long hours to enforce our safety directives, and all those essential workers who are keeping the country running.

I ask that all Fijians carry this love, and this responsibility, in their hearts in the days, weeks, and months ahead as our nation fights COVID-19. But during this global crisis, we don’t need to be doctors or nurses to save lives; for most Fijians, you can do so simply by staying at home.

So, join me in cheering on our healthcare heroes as they sacrifice spending time in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by their own families during these trying times. Please, don’t take your ability to do the same for granted.

God bless our healthcare heroes. God bless Fiji.

Bula Vinaka, members of the media.

As you may have noticed, we have a new mic set-up for reporters to use so that everyone watching can hear your questions. You’ll also see we’ve strictly designated where members of the media can stand in the interest of putting physical distancing into practice. So, keep your distance back there. Seriously.

This is the latest on Fiji’s war against coronavirus. As of today the 2nd of April, the first five COVID-19 patients remain in stable condition. None have been cleared as recovered.

This morning, we confirmed two new cases of COVID-19 in Fiji. Our sixth case is a 21-year-old woman and our seventh case is her 33-year-old husband. Again, our medical teams were well-prepared to get to these patients quickly, test them and move them securely and hygienically into isolation.

The two individuals are a couple living together in the Nabua Settlement in Suva. The sixth patient –– the 21-year-old wife –– developed symptoms on Saturday, the 28th of March. She informed the Ministry of Health on the 1st of April. Our teams visited her home, and tested her that same day. Her partner, the 33-year-old husband reported symptoms on the 31st of March. He was tested the same day as his wife.

It’s important to note that the symptoms of these two newest cases started with just a runny nose when they called the Ministry of Health for testing. I can’t stress enough –– if you have any symptoms at all, even something as minor as a runny nose, immediately dial 158, our new, 24-hour toll-free coronavirus helpline.

Both patients have been transported securely and hygienically in an ambulance to the Navua Hospital Isolation Ward where both are in stable condition. The couple shared a home with their daughter; she has been taken into isolation as well.

Our contact tracing teams are now identifying all of their close contacts and directing them into self-quarantine.

My fellow Fijians, it appears that our newest two cases are unrelated to our first five cases. We’re actively identifying all of these individuals’ close contacts. We’ve identified a contact who lived at home with these two patients after returning from India as the likeliest transmitter of the virus. This person has been placed into isolation in Labasa Hospital, but we cannot comment further until testing confirms this person as the source.

Some of these two patients’ personal details were –– unfortunately –– leaked to the public. I’ve just come from the Ministry of Health, I can tell you their staff are devastated that someone is leaking confidential information. These leaks have made their jobs far more difficult and every time people on Facebook share this leaked information, they do so at the expense of the doctors, nurses and other medical staff trying their absolute best to inform the public in an accurate and timely manner.  The Police are currently investigating this matter –– when they find whoever did the leak, they will be taken to task.

These two new cases are the most serious developments to-date. Unlike our other case in the Suva area who was immediately self-quarantined and then isolated, there is a high risk these patients have infected others, as they not only lived in close contact with other families in their settlement, but served in very public-facing job: Both patients worked as hairdressers, one at the Jade Salon at MHCC and the other at the Super Cuts in Damodar City Suva. We’ve been informed both individuals stopped working from the 28th of March, but witness accounts have thrown those accounts into doubt. We need to respond as if both individuals were working while showing symptoms, and take assertive action to contain the virus.

That is why, just as we did in the Lautoka confined area, all of the greater Suva area will be going on lockdown –– a tactic that we’re embracing because it has proven effective in containing the spread. We’ve drawn up the borders of a Suva confined area –– as you can see on the map behind me. For a period of 14 days, we’ll be closing off entry and exit at the following checkpoints, starting from 5am tomorrow morning, the 3rd of April: the Delanavesi Bridge on the Queen’s Road, the Sawani Junction, and the Nausori Bridge.

Within the greater Suva confined area:

• The greater public will not be allowed in or out –– only those traveling for medical purposes will be allowed through checkpoints.
• All non-essential businesses will be closed.
• Supermarkets and shops selling food will remain open so that people can buy food.
• Restaurants can remain open, so long as they cut seating capacity below 20 people, practice safe physical distancing between tables and at queues, and must focus on takeaway and delivery orders.
• Banks will remain open so that people can get money.
• Pharmacies will remain open so that people can get medicine.
• FNPF will remain open so that people can access funds.
• Essential business will remain open. Just like Lautoka, that list includes air and rescue services, air traffic control services, civil aviation, telecommunication services, food and sanitary manufacturing plants, electricity services, emergency services, fire services, health and hospital services, lighthouse services, meteorological services, mine pumping, ventilation and winding, sanitary services, supply and distribution of fuel and gas, power, telecommunications, garbage collection, transport services, water and sewage services, FNPF and FRCS, civil service, private security services and roading services. If your business is not on this list, close it down. As for civil servants, continue to go to work unless your Permanent Secretary has informed you to work from home.
• Markets will remain open but –– as Minister Kumar has explained on earlier occasions –– we are decentralising markets into satellite markets to prevent the sort of dangerous overcrowding that spurs the spread of the virus; and
• Given some Fijians need to seek specialised treatment at facilities in Suva, the checkpoints will allow these individuals who need to undergo surgery or receive kidney dialysis treatment.

In order to ensure resident in greater Suva area can access life-sustaining services:

• The port of Suva will remain open for international freight shipping and inter-island cargo shipping; any passenger travel, however, remains forbidden; and
• We will implement the same AMA arrangement we introduced in the Lautoka confined area to get food and produce into the Suva confined area. At all three checkpoints, suppliers can arrange with a police driver to ensure that produce still comes into Suva, and we don’t let the virus escape the confined area.

The point is, food and essential goods will remain on the shelves of our shops and supermarkets. Do not run to the supermarkets and buy up goods this afternoon –– doing so will crowd these stores and put every shopper at-risk.

Nationwide, more health protection measures will be coming into effect:

• From tomorrow night, the 3rd of April, our nationwide curfew will now begin earlier, starting at 8pm and extending until 5am. If you’re travelling for work or as a result of a medical emergency, you can travel during these hours. Otherwise, don’t add your name to the ever-growing list of violators.
• Also from tomorrow, the 3rd of April, social gatherings will be banned entirely, everywhere in Fiji. Our 20 person limit now applies only to the workplace. Two people, three people, it doesn’t matter –– no more social gatherings. Do not have visitors over to your homes. Your interactions should be limited entirely to those already living in your households. If you’re missing a friend or loved one, do the safe thing and call them on the phone. If you need to walk around or exercise you may do so, but keep a safe distance of two metres from other people while outside.
• Bus operators, drivers, and riders must take measures to ensure physical distancing is practiced on all of Fiji’s buses. Spread out as much as possible, sanitise your seats, and do not come into contact with others.

As you know we’ve extended the restrictions locking down the Lautoka confined area until at least 5am on Tuesday, the 7th of April. But we’re making a couple of small changes:

• Restaurants can now operate, so long as they follow our safety guidelines, focusing on safe physical distancing and takeaway and delivery services; and
• The boundaries of the confined area will be open to those who are seeking emergency medical care or kidney dialysis. Under close police escort, these individuals travel from the checkpoints directly to Lautoka Hospital.

My fellow Fijians, I’m confident the vast majority of people watching know we cannot afford to lose the war against this virus. I know most Fijians are following and respecting the rules we’ve put in place –– but too many still aren’t. So, if you’ve been sitting in Suva feeling as if this virus isn’t your problem, or that somehow your behaviour hasn’t needed to change –– get a grip. This virus is here and it is serious. Anyone, anywhere could be a carrier. If people follow the government’s directives, we will lock this virus down and win this war. If people don’t, many people will die. It is just that simple.

There is no “magic bullet” to defeat COVID-19. There is no vaccine. There is no quick-fix, and there is no cure. There is only one strategy that’s proven to stop coronavirus, and that is changing our behaviour right now to stop its spread.

As we’ve been saying for weeks: every person in Fiji needs to keep a safe distance of two metres between yourself and all others at all times. Whether you live in Lautoka, Suva, or anywhere in Fiji: Stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary that you leave. If you are leaving your home, ask yourself: Does my life or my livelihood depend on what I’m doing? If the answer is no, get back indoors and stay there – staying home saves lives.

Report any symptoms you’re feeling as soon as they develop by calling our COVID-19 Call Centre on toll-free number 158 or visit one of our fever clinics. Stop sharing bilos and takis. Stop shaking hands, touching, and embracing. Stop the touch rugby matches and other close contact with others. Wash your hands with soap and water, for 20 seconds, multiple times a day.

We’re closely watching the behaviour of all Fijians, and if these habits aren’t changed on your own accord, we aren’t afraid to scale up our enforcement to contain COVID-19. We can achieve this one of two ways: By your willing cooperation, or by heavy-handed action. For every Fijian, this will be much easier if you follow our directives –– but if not, we will be forced to crack down with a nationwide 24-hour curfew.

By the grace of God, and likely by virtue of our young population, all of Fiji’s first seven cases have been in young, healthy patients. But this isn’t always going to be the case. Make no mistake, if Fijians don’t change their behaviour, the elderly and vulnerable will be infected, and we will see a sharp rise in cases and, likely, deaths.

Come tomorrow, the world will pass one million confirmed cases of COVID-19. The real numbers are likely much higher, as countries across the globe –– with healthcare systems that are stretched thin –– are only able to confirm the most severe cases upon hospitalisation.

Fiji was one of the last countries on Earth to confirm cases, so we were blessed to have a glimpse into the future, and how bad this pandemic can become if society fails to act. It would be foolish, and self-destructive, to waste this blessing, and willingly choose inaction when we can literally see our own fate unfold on the news in China, Italy, Spain, and the United States of America.

If Fijians do not take this seriously, that will be our reality. We don’t know how long our national borders will be closed, because no one can say for certain how long it will be until the world rids itself of this virus. But we must take every day one at a time, not as a reason for despair, but as an opportunity for containment. Our greatest hope is in the hands of every Fijian; please, for the fate of our country and those we love, do what we’ve directed you to do. Don’t let this opportunity go to waste.

Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you, and God bless Fiji.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICAL SERVICES HON. DR. IFIREIMI WAQAINABETE

01/04/2020

Bula Vinaka.

After conducting 368 tests ––including another 11 last night –– Fiji has zero new confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus. Still, there is zero room for complacency.  We may still have five cases, all of whom remain in stable condition, but that shouldn’t lead anyone to believe this crisis is behind us. If we relent now, we will cripple our campaign to lock down this virus for good.

Under the leadership of our Honourable Prime Minister, Fiji was quick to ramp up travel restrictions as the virus began its global spread. We shut our borders entirely to foreign nationals present in mainland China and other high-risk countries early on. Passenger travel to Fiji has virtually ended, save for a few planned evacuation flights. Cruise ships are banned. We have a nationwide curfew in effect from 10pm to 5am every day. Schools are closed at least until 17 April. We’ve rolled out a work from home programme for some civil servants. And, unless travel pertains directly to their lives or livelihoods, all Fijians should stay at home.

As part of nationwide COVID-19 containment effort, following our first case, we locked down the Lautoka confined area on the 19th of March for a period of 14 days. Since that time, three more cases have been identified in the Lautoka confined area, the most recent of which was a 31-year-old member of the first patient’s Zumba class.

That patient began displaying symptoms on Tuesday, the 23rd of March. We have since identified and entered all of her close contacts into compulsory self-quarantine –– however, there is still a risk she could have infected others. Yes, it’s a small risk. But it’s a risk we cannot afford to take. If we lift the restrictions too early and we’ve missed even one person in Lautoka who has contracted the disease, the rest of Viti Levu would be at-risk.

The incubation period for this virus can be as long as 14 days. That is why, out of an abundance of caution, the Lautoka confined area will remain locked down at least until 5am in the morning on Tuesday, the 7th of April. By that time, if we are confident that we have flushed out the virus, the restrictions may be relaxed. As you know in the past few days we have opened the port in Lautoka for international shipping, including exports and imports. Of course, we will continue to allow steady flows of essential food, goods and services to come into and out of Lautoka in a controlled and hygienic fashion.

We know these restrictions have not been easy for many residents within the Lautoka confined area. But take comfort knowing that these tough decisions we’re making could very well spare us enormous future suffering. Nobody wants to see a large-scale outbreak of this virus in Fiji –– and that means making hard calls today that keep this virus at bay. While this lockdown continues, we are re-doubling our efforts to ensure this virus has not spread further. Our teams in the Lautoka confined area are going to test and test and test until we know this virus has been contained.

The extension of the lockdown means the same rules remain: No one in and no one out. We know that some Lautoka residents have been caught outside of the Lautoka confined area. We know this has not been an easy two weeks for these Fijians. I want to thank those living outside the Lautoka confined area who are opening their homes to friends, family and even just their fellow Fijians during the lockdown. But know that these measures have been put in place to keep you safe, and keep your friends and family within the confined area safe as well.

At the present time, in the interest of keeping everyone safe, we cannot allow anyone back into the confined area. I’ll tell you why: Our investigations revealed serious gaps in the account provided by the first patient about when his symptoms actually began. It’s clear we cannot trust everything he has said. Even though we’ve now successfully accounted for all of his known contacts, it is in the nation’s best interest that we all act as if there are still more cases in the area waiting to be detected, and even in the surrounding areas, such as Nadi, until we know with certainty that there are not. On top of that, we cannot disregard the possibility that the recent patient –– the man who recently travelled to Fiji prior to testing positive while in New Zealand –– may have picked up the virus while he was here.

To those living within the Lautoka confined area, know that the single quickest way to open up your boundaries and return to normal is by seeing as many people in the Lautoka confined area as possible tested for fevers at our new clinics. To be blunt, the low number of Fijians visiting these fever clinics in the Lautoka confined area has, so far, been severely disappointing, and this lack of action only holds up our efforts. So, if you’re showing any symptoms –– like a sore throat, cough, or fever –– please, go get yourself tested. If teams visit your home, be honest about how you are feeling and who you have seen. It is your God-given responsibility to your family, your community, and your country.

We also know many families have been anxious about what this virus –– and the accompanying global recession –– will mean for their livelihoods. In our COVID-19 response budget, the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister for Economy unveiled a historic package of support to Fijian businesses, employees and families, along with a 40 million-dollar injection directly into our healthcare systems; a big financial boost that I –– along with our frontline health workers –– deeply appreciate.

Ladies and gentlemen, That passage of that budget included a new amendment to the Public Health Act to step up our enforcement of the measures we’ve introduced to keep the Fijian people safe; because we are not relying on goodwill alone to do what must be done  to stop this virus from spiralling into an outbreak. The police have already made dozens of arrests relating to violations of our health protection measures and –– through an amendment to the Public Health Act –– liars and law-breakers can face up to five years in prison, a ten thousand dollar fine, or both.

But despite some of the reckless actions and attitudes we’ve seen, we know many Fijians have  been playing by the rules. In fact, many have gone above and beyond the call of duty in the campaign against the coronavirus. I want to thank the businesses who are putting physical distancing into practice for their employees and customers. I want to thank the concerned citizens who have reported irresponsible behaviour to the police. I especially want to thank the doctors and the nurses who spend every day on the frontlines, identifying, containing and treating this virus and keeping us safe.

And I want to thank everyone who realises that the government cannot secure victory over this virus alone. We are in a fight for the lives of our most vulnerable, and we need the vigilance, discipline and genuine compassion of every single Fijian to win it.

We need everyone washing their hands with soap and water as often as they can. We need everyone maintaining a two-metre safe distance from others as much as possible; that means queuing responsibly no matter what you’re waiting for, and staying at home as often as possible. We need everyone to drop the stigma around being tested, whether that’s for the common fever, flu, or COVID-19 –– because, despite them sharing some symptoms, distinguishing between coronavirus and other viral infections is critical to saving lives. If you have a cough, fever, sore throat or shortness of breath and have been overseas or been in contact with someone who has been overseas, call the Ministry of Health on toll-free number 158 immediately.

No expert can say with certainty how long this global crisis will last. But what we do know is that we don’t stand a chance at snuffing out this virus unless every Fijian gets behind the government’s plan and does their part in winning the war on COVID-19. So, do your part.

Do it for yourself, do it for those you love, do it for Fiji.

Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. God Bless Fiji.

There have been no new cases of COVID-19 since the announcement by the Prime Minister Hon. Voreqe Bainimarama on Wednesday, 25 March.  Fiji has 5 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Since the outbreak of the global pandemic, the Fijian Government through the Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services has been proactively responding to this crisis.

Amongst the measures put in place, the Fijian Government has opened a toll-free helpline – 158.  This toll-free helpline will replace the four phone numbers which have been operational since the response began.

The public can now call 158 for all COVID-19 related queries and concerns.  The helpline is open 24 hours, seven days a week for the duration of the COVID-19 response. Trained staff will be managing calls at the call centre.

We are especially interested in hearing from members of the public who think they or a family member have symptoms of COVID-19.

For Fijians living abroad wishing to enquire about the Fijian COVID-19 response, the number to call is +679 9902158. This is a charged service.