Covid 19 coronavirus: two Auckland women test positive in Fiji border quarantine

By RNZ

Two Fijians who arrived from New Zealand last month are the latest confirmed Covid-19 cases in Fiji, and both are in border quarantine.

The Health Ministry said the couple, aged 75 and 57, who live in Auckland, arrived at Nadi Airport on a repatriation flight from Auckland on November 19.

It is likely that they contracted the virus on the flight from New Zealand as “both were sitting near a person who tested positive in the border quarantine,” the ministry said.

“Both tested negative in Auckland, 72 hours before boarding the flight to Nadi, and then tested negative again during testing on the second day in our border quarantine,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The positive results of their tests came on the 12th day of the border quarantine.”

The ministry said the new cases had been under strict border quarantine conditions since they arrived in Fiji.

Both are in stable condition and have been transferred to the Lautoka Hospital Isolation Unit in accordance with our standard protocol for the transfer and isolation of confirmed cases.

“During this festive time, the Ministry of Health hopes to continue receiving more cases of border quarantine.

“We also have the cyclone season.”

The ministry said it was working with the military to mitigate any risks at the border.

He called on the public to continue to observe the ministry’s safe Covid measures for hand washing, cough etiquette and physical distancing.

Fiji now has nine active cases of Covid-19.

-RNZ