Head of Health Protection Dr Aaalisha Sahukhan says 33 tests were conducted yesterday at the Fiji CDC, of which 32 returned negative and one positive.

The Ministry of Health have conducted over 170 tests of COVID-19 since the establishment of the testing laboratory at the Fiji Centre for Disease Control in Suva.

Head of Health Protection Dr Aaalisha Sahukhan says 33 tests were conducted yesterday at the Fiji CDC, of which 32 returned negative and one positive.

Local testing of COVID-19 started on the 11th of this month and this has greatly helped the Health Ministry in a timely manner.

Dr Sahukhan says having a local testing facility has allowed them to carry out their work effectively in detecting COVID-19 cases.

She says apart from rigorous testing, the action of the fourth patient, a 28-year-old man through self-isolation helped preventing many other possible transmissions of COVID-19.

“When he arrived in Nadi Airport he was advised by our health staff that now we are saying any travel into Fiji must self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. He did this. He went straight home. He stayed at home. Once he started developing symptoms – he isolated himself from the rest of his family within his own home.”

The Health Ministry is urging any travellers who have recently returned from overseas to self-quarantine for 14 days and to practice proper hygiene.

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