Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. [File Photo]

All precautionary measures related to the containment of COVID-19 will remain in place for the time-being.

This has been confirmed by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in a national address this afternoon.

He says all current restrictions will not be scaled back even though Fiji continues to see successes in containing the virus.

We cannot risk a second wave of Fijian infections; that is why, for the time being, all of our health protection directives will remain in full effect. The nationwide curfew will remain in effect from 10 pm until 5 am every day. Social gatherings must be limited to 20 people or fewer. Gyms, nightclubs, cinemas and swimming pools will remain closed, as will houses of worship. Contact sports are still not allowed to be played. Our schools will remain closed as well until the 12th of June 2020.

The Prime Minister has confirmed that one more Fijian has recovered from COVID-19, meaning there are now only 3 active cases in recovery.

However, given the resurgence of the Coronavirus in other parts of the world which have relaxed containment measures, Bainimarama says we need to be vigilant.

As tight as our safety nets may be, there is always a chance that an asymptomatic case has slipped through undetected. We have no evidence to suggest this is the case, but it is still a risk we must consider, because all it takes is one case, one super-spreader, to provoke a Fijian epidemic of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will next week announce the second round of COVID-19 unemployment benefits to be paid out in partnership with FNPF. This will help Fijians whose employers have been severely impacted by this crisis.

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