Press Release

Media Release                                                                   

COVID-19 Update

3rd February 2021

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is announcing 1 new border quarantine case of COVID-19.

This is a 48-year-old male who traveled from Jakarta, Indonesia on a repatriation flight GA 9820, which originally departed from New Delhi India, with stops in Jakarta and Port Moresby, before arriving in Nadi on January 27th. He tested positive during routine testing while undergoing mandatory 14-day quarantine in the government designated border quarantine facility in Nadi.

The individual was transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital in accordance with the standard protocol for COVID-19 cases. The frontline border quarantine staff that may have had any contact with the case followed our standard infection prevention and control protocols. They will be monitored and tested as a precaution according to our protocols.

Also, a 25-year-old female in border quarantine has returned a weak positive test result during routine exit testing. She had traveled from Dublin Ireland, arriving in Nadi on flight MH8790 from Kuala Lumpur on January 20^th. This individual had tested positive and was confirmed as a COVID-19 case in Ireland in October 2020. She tested negative in subsequent tests after recovery, including a pre-departure test before arriving in Fiji, and during day 3 border quarantine testing. She currently has no symptoms. It is known that non-infectious fragments of the virus can remain detectable, and cause a positive test result long after the infection has passed, and even after previous negative test results; therefore it is unlikely that this person is currently infectious. Due to the test results, and history of testing positive in Ireland, this is considered a historical case, and is not counted as a new case for Fiji. However, as a precaution, she has been transferred to the isolation ward at Lautoka hospital in accordance with the standard protocol for COVID-19 cases.

Fiji has now had 56 cases in total, with 1 active case, 53 recoveries, and 2 deaths, since our first case was reported on March 19^th, 2020. The last 38 cases have been international travel-associated cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 291 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine on April 18^th, 2020.

A total of 26,510 laboratory tests have been conducted, with a daily average of 154 tests per day over the last 7 days, and a weekly average of 1179 tests over the last 2 weeks.

The next scheduled update will be on Friday, February 5th.

-ENDS-

Media Release

COVID-19 Update

1^st February 2021

There have been 0 new cases of COVID-19 since the last update on January 29th, 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 19^th, 2020. The last 37 cases have been international travel-associated cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 289 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine on April 18^th, 2020.

A total of 26,118 laboratory tests have been conducted, with a daily average of 158 tests per day over the last 7 days, and a weekly average of 1179 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, February 3rd.

-ENDS-

Media Release                                                                   

29th January 2021

There have been 0 new cases of COVID-19 since the last update on January 27th, 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 19^th, 2020. The last 37 cases have been international travel-associated cases detected in border quarantine. It has been 286 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine on April 18^th.

A total of 25,815 laboratory tests have been conducted, with a daily average of 213 tests per day over the last 7 days, and 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 Monday, February 1st.

-ENDS-

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-