By Fiji correspondent Lice Movono in Suva
Fijian authorities are now back on high alert and are instituting urgent measures to speed up contact tracing efforts after it took in more than 330 contacts of the latest two cases.
Fiji on high alert as soldier and hotel worker test positive for Covid-19 Photo: Fiji Government
This comes amid the towns of Nadi and Lautoka now on lockdown as a soldier and a hotel worker tested positive for Covid-19 last weekend.
Emphasising that the two cases are contained at the border, the health authorities say since 4am today they are restricting movements in both towns for the next 24 hours.
In a statement, the health ministry said it was looking for third generation contacts of the two latest cases.
"As of early this morning, one of those first-generation contacts, a 53-year-old woman, has registered a positive Covid-19 test result.
"This woman worked in a border quarantine facility but has since entered public spaces. She resides in Nadi, with a travel history in Nadi and Lautoka."
"All members of her household have already been entered into quarantine. We are awaiting the results of their Covid-19 tests.
"The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has continued to run Covid-19 tests on the first- and second-generation contacts identified through its contact tracing effort stemming from the border quarantine case announced yesterday."
The soldier returned a positive test for Covid-19 on Saturday April 17 despite testing negative on April 10 during a routine testing for border personnel.
Permanent Secretary of Health, James Fong Photo: Fiji Govt
Health permanent secretary Dr James Fong and Fiji Centre for Disease Control head Dr Aalisha SahuKhan confirmed they knew how the soldier contracted the virus.
"We suspect he contracted the virus from two Fijian citizens, who returned to India on the 10th of April. They both tested positive for the virus. And we're transported to the isolation ward of the hospital on Friday the 16th," Dr Fong said.
Overnight Saturday, everyone who worked at the hotel along with the people these workers live were taken in for 14 days quarantine. All were tested and the majority were negative saved for 13 whose test samples didn't clear until late Sunday night.
Frank Bainimarama. Photo: Fiji govt
"This woman worked in a border quarantine facility, but has since entered public spaces. She resides in Nadi, with a travel history in Nadi and Lautoka. All members of her household have already been entered into quarantine. We are awaiting the results of their Covid-19 tests," a government statement issued at 4am Monday April 19 said.
"We are defining the Greater Nadi and Lautoka Area as the area spanning from Momi Junction and the Mulomulo Post bearing towards Sigatoka, to Nacilau, Vakabuli, and the Waiwai crossing bearing towards Ba."
While it is not clear how long this quarantine is for, the Ministry of Education is reported to have said it would bring forward the school first term break to this week for the next 14 days.
Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is expected to address the nation later today.
