New case takes coronavirus tally to 19

Picture: redlabs.be

By JOSEFA BABITU

Fiji has recorded yet another case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) after a 66-year-old man arrived into the country from India on July 1 presenting symptoms of the virus.

The latest case takes the total number of confirmed cases to 19. So far 18 patients of COVID-19 have recovered with zero new cases over the past 31 days until now.

In a statement, Acting Permanent Secretary for the Health Ministry Dr James Fong said the patient and his son were returning from a medical procedure in India with 107 other travellers.

He said health officials detected coronavirus symptoms upon their arrival. The man tested positive and were kept in government-funded quarantine facilities.

“He has since been securely and hygienically transported to Nadi Hospital, where he is being kept in isolation. He is in stable condition,” he said.

“His son, who travelled with him from India, has also been moved into isolation at Nadi Hospital. The son is not displaying any symptoms. Regardless, we’ve had him tested with results expected (today).”

Dr Fong said the ministry was prepared for the likelihood of the COVID-19 cases developing among repatriating citizens.

“But as we’ve made clear, Fiji has the infrastructure, surveillance capabilities and local testing capacities to ensure these ‘quarantine cases’ at the border present zero risk to the general public,” he said.

“Mandatory quarantine for all returning travellers was introduced on March 28, with mandatory testing coming into effect on April 23. Since that time, no returning traveller has entered the public without undergoing the full 14 days of quarantine and clearing a negative COVID test result.”

He said the quarantine facilities were under constant supervision, with support from the RFMF.

“No one can leave until they are medically-confirmed as free of the virus –– no exceptions,” Dr Fong said.

Dr Fong said Fiji had an impregnable wall of strong border controls, strict quarantine surveillance and capable healthcare monitoring between border quarantine cases and local communities.