Fiji's leader says the country is ready for tourists to return, as the country copes with more than 1500 active cases of Covid-19, and students head back to school.
Reset Fiji Tourism event in Glasgow Photo: supplied
A 78-year-old man is the latest victim of Covid-19 in the country.
There have been 672 deaths from Covid-19 in Fiji since the latest outbreak began in April this year, with just two before that.
The Fiji Government reported 28 more cases in the weekend.
Meanwhile Fiji's Prime Minister has told a tourism promotion in Glasgow the country is excited to welcome visitors back and is confident in its ability to manage the risk.
Frank Bainimarama gave the reassurance during a Reset Fiji Tourism event on the back of the UN COP26 climate summit at the weekend.
He said Fiji is in an excellent position to reopen its borders.
Fiji has vaccinated more of its population over a faster timeline than almost any other country.
Bainimarama said 86 percent of adults had been fully vaccinated and ninety-six percent had received one dose.
Fiji's international border re-open firstly on 11 November to a list of travel partners which includes New Zealand, Australia, the UK and the USA.
Bainimara said there would be no traditional quarantine requirement, however, there would be different sets of protocols for tourists, residents, and for those visiting friends and relatives.
Then, from 1 December Fiji will open its borders to visitors from a number of other countries, including the UK, if they are fully vaccinated with a recent negative PCR test result.
Bainimarama said once in Fiji visitors must return an additional negative test on day two before they can travel within the country.
Peopel in Fiji are preparing to reopen the borders to visitors. Photo: Supplied/ Tourism Fiji
By the numbers
Daily Covid-19 case numbers have been in the double-digits for more than a month now, with 34 infections reported on Friday.
Health Secretary James Fong said the latest death was a man from Navua who had been admitted to Suva's Colonial War Memorial Hospital on 16 October with severe respiratory distress, but had died 16 days later.
"He was not vaccinated," Dr Fong said.
Three other Covid-positive patients had also died, though were not classified as non-Covid deaths, because of serious pre-existing conditions.
In total 566 people have died while infected with the Delta variant but not been recorded in the official toll because of pre-existing conditions.
"There is a downward trend across all indicators of the Covid-19 epidemic in Fiji, indicating a positive response to our overall Covid containment and mitigation response," Dr Fong said.
Back to school for senior students
More than 30,000 year 12 and 13 students return to class in Fiji on Monday.
It's the first time schools have been open since the outbreak of the Delta variant began more than six months ago, in April.
Education Minister Premila Kumar said Covid-19 protocols were in place in classrooms, so they were safe.
She urged students to take full advantage of being with their teachers, and to make efforts to catch up on lost learning opportunities as quickly as possible.
"We know that face to face learning is vital for academic achievement, mental and physical health and overall well-being of our students."
Fiji's Health Ministry said nearly 32,000 teenagers aged between 15 and 17 have had one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and just over 17,000 are fully vaccinated.
