Archives 2021

Media Release                                                                   

COVID-19 Update

27th January 2021

There have been 0 new cases of COVID-19 since the last update on January 25th, and there are currently 0 active cases in Fiji.

Fiji has had 55 cases of COVID-19 in total, with 53 recoveries and 2 deaths, since our first case was reported on March 19^th, 2020. The last 37 cases have been international travel-associated cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 284 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine on April 18^th.

A total of 25,433 laboratory tests have been conducted, with a weekly average of 1120 tests over the last 2 weeks.

A 38-year-old crewmember onboard the international cargo ship the MV Papuan Chief, which arrived in Fiji on January 24^th, has returned a weak positive test result, indicating that a very small amount of viral material was present in the sample. A repeat test was negative, and he is well with no symptoms. Furthermore, this person reportedly tested positive and was confirmed as a COVID-19 case in Ukraine in November 2020. He recovered in December and entered Seoul South Korea, completing 14 days quarantine and returning negative tests, before joining the ship in Busan South Korea on January 2^nd. It is known that non-infectious pieces of the virus can remain detectable, and cause a positive test result long after the infection has passed; therefore it is unlikely that this person is currently infectious. Due to the test results, and history of testing positive in Ukraine, this is considered a historical case, and is not counted as a new case for Fiji. However, out of an abundance of caution, he has been isolated onboard the ship.

The MV Papuan Chief arrived in Fiji on January 24^th after stops in Port Vila, Noumea, and Majuro. None of the crew disembarked the ship in Fiji, and the small number of Fijian officials that boarded, and may have had any contact with the crew, were in compliance with all infection control measures, including wearing the necessary personal protective equipment and physical distancing.

All other crew members on the MV Papuan Chief have tested negative. 2 Fijian crew members that had since requested to disembark are currently undergoing 14-day quarantine in government-designated quarantine facilities in Nadi. The rest of the crew will not disembark the ship in Fiji.

For more information on COVID-19 in Fiji please visit the Ministry of Health and Medical Services web page http://www.health.gov.fj/covid-19-updates/

The next scheduled update will be on Friday, January 29^th.

 -ENDS-

Media Release                       

25th January 2021

There have been 0 new cases of COVID-19 since the last update on January 22nd, and there are currently 0 active cases in Fiji.

Fiji has had 55 cases in total, with 53 recoveries and 2 deaths, since our first case was reported on March 19th, 2020. The last 37 cases have been international travel-associated cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 282 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine on April 18th.

A total of 25,014 laboratory tests have been conducted, with a weekly average of 1120 tests over the last 2 weeks.

For more information on COVID-19 in Fiji please visit the Ministry of Health and Medical Services web page http://www.health.gov.fj/covid-19-updates/

The next scheduled update will be on Wednesday, January 27th.

-ENDS-

Media Release                                                                   

22^nd January 2021

There have been 0 new cases of COVID-19 since the last update on January 16^th, and there are currently 0 active cases in Fiji.

Fiji has had 55 cases in total since our first case was reported on March 19^th 2020, with 53 recoveries and 2 deaths. The last 37 cases have been international travel associated- detected in border quarantine. It has been 279 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine.

For more information on COVID-19 in Fiji please visit the Ministry of Health and Medical Services web page http://www.health.gov.fj/covid-19-updates/

The next scheduled update will be on Monday January 25^th.

-ENDS-

By the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, January 16th, 2020

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is announcing one new border cases of COVID-19. They are a 49 year old female and 58 year old female who arrived on flight NZ952 from New Zealand on December 24th. Both individuals tested positive during routine exit testing while undergoing mandatory quarantine in the government designated (and Republic of Fiji Military Forces supervised) border quarantine facilities in Nadi.

The individuals were safely and hygienically transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital in accordance with the standard protocol for confirmed cases. They were asymptomatic and well since arrival in Fiji. The frontline border and quarantine staff who were directly involved with the cases have followed our standard infection prevention and control protocols, and will be monitored and tested as necessary.

Fiji has had 55 cases in total since our first case was detected on March 19th, with the last 37 cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 302 days since our first case and 272 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services and our partner agencies has reviewed our strategies at the border to ensure that the risks are negligible. The borders agents with the MHMS and RFMF continue to diligently enforce our border quarantine and infection control protocols. The public is requested to practice the hand hygiene and other COVID-19 measures as we look forward to the commencement of the 2021 school year.

-ENDS-

Media Release                          

By the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services

Wednesday January 6th, 2021

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is announcing four new border cases of COVID-19. The 1st case is a 35 year old male. He travelled from the United Kingdom and arrived in Fiji on flight NZ 952 from Auckland on December 24th. The 2nd and 3rd cases are a 25 year old male and a 27 year old female who arrived on flight GA 8250 from New Delhi on December 21st. The 4th case is a 55 year old male who travelled from Mali and arrived on 31^st December on flight NZ952 from Auckland. All four individuals tested positive during routine testing while undergoing mandatory quarantine in the government designated (and Republic of Fiji Military Forces supervised) border quarantine facilities in Nadi.

The individuals have been safely and hygienically transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital in accordance with the standard protocol for confirmed cases. They have been asymptomatic and well since arrival in Fiji. The frontline border and quarantine staff who were directly involved with the cases have followed our standard infection prevention and control protocols, and will be monitored and tested as necessary.

We also have another positive case that is considered a historical case. The 39 year old male arrived on flight NZ952 from Hong Kong on December 21^st, .He tested positive during routine border quarantine testing, however, this person had already tested positive between October-December while travelling in France and the United Kingdom and will not be counted as a new case for Fiji. Like another historical case announced last week – this individual had subsequently tested negative in pre-departure testing in the United Kingdom. He also tested negative during day 3 testing in border quarantine in Fiji. It is known that non-infectious particles of the COVID-19 virus can remain detectable, and result in a positive test result, long after the infection has passed, even if the person has tested negative previously; therefore it is unlikely that this person is currently infectious. He is also symptom free. However, as a precaution, he has been transferred to the isolation ward at Lautoka hospital according to our standard protocol.

Fiji has a total of 53 cases since our first case was detected on March 19^th, with the last 35 cases detected in border quarantine. Fiji now has 5 active cases and it has now been 263 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine.

In view of an upsurge in border quarantine cases and the concerns relating to the appearance of new strains of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and our partner agencies at the borders (including hotel management, transport management, and airport management senior personnel) have made the necessary adjustments to strengthen our border quarantine and infection control protocols. These measures have been diligently enforced; therefore these border quarantine cases pose zero risks to the health and wellbeing of the Fijian public.

-ENDS-