1 Sep 2020

Fiji has new Covid-19 border quarantine case

4:56 pm on 1 September 2020

Fiji has confirmed a new case of Covid-19 in border quarantine.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Health, James Fong

Acting Permanent Secretary for Health, James Fong Photo: Fiji Govt

The Health Ministry said the latest patient was a nurse who worked at the quarantine facility.

The Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong, said the nurse contracted the virus while treating patients with Covid-19.

Fong said the nurse posed no threat to the public as she lived and worked at the quarantine facility.

He said medical staff assigned to be at the quarantine facilities were required to live within the facility.

Fong said they also were required to undergo at least two tests that should return a negative result before they were allowed to go home.

The permanent secretary said all other health and military personnel monitoring the quarantine facilities had been swabbed and tested, with all results returned negative.

Fiji now has four active cases, all in border quarantine.

Earlier Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete told Parliament 22 people had recovered from the coronavirus.

Waqainabete said two border quarantine patients had died.

"We are also aware that both of them, as you know, are over 60 years old and we all know that susceptibility and the vulnerability that people in that age group and also comorbidities have to Covid-19."