We have three new cases of COVID-19 in the country and all containment zones in the Central Division are to remain for at least another week.

The three new cases are all linked to case number 136, who is a man from Saru, Lautoka, and tested positive on Friday.

Health Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong, says one of the new cases is his wife, another is his daughter, and the third was a primary contact of his wife.

He says the contact tracers are locating and quarantining their close contacts and all other known primary contacts relating to the three have tested negative.

While these are the new cases, the Health Ministry says its investigations around new cases in Suva, Nausori, and Lami have indicated those containment areas should be maintained for at least another week.

“Through the ministries of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport and Economy, we are working with industry partners on COVID-safe risk assessments to explore how and when some industries may operate in carefully-managed ways within containment areas. The careFIJI contact tracing app will be paramount to these operations. Every Fijian must install it and keep it running, every business should encourage its employees and customers to do so. With every new case, our contact tracers are stretched further and the imperative of widespread adoption of careFIJI grows. We’ll be announcing early next week how our containment protocols will cater for more COVID-safe essential business operations.”

The lockdown at Wainitarawau Settlement in Cunningham Suva and the Vuniwai Settlement in Taveuni has been lifted at 4am this morning.

There are now 38 positive cases, as two more patients have recovered. There are currently 26 local transmission cases, five border quarantine cases. There are five cases under investigation.

Two cases, one that includes the deceased man from Lautoka and one who has recovered are also under investigation for the source of infection.

Doctor Fong says those who had ignored restriction warnings on Saturday and moved from containment to non-containment areas, are urged to call 158.

“We are locating these people, but not quickly enough. Whoever they are, wherever they are, they must self-isolate, and they must do it now. If you are one of these people, or you know one of these people, call 158. We are not looking to dole out punishment. We are not going to move you back where you came from. But we are going to ask that you self-isolate at home for the next 14 days.  As I made clear from the beginning, this limited movement was only permitted on Viti Levu. Requests to move from Viti Levu to other parts of Fiji, and requests to move from other parts of Fiji to Viti Levu, have all been rejected. I don’t have a timeline as to when that restriction will lift. Everyone should plan to remain where they are for the foreseeable future,” says Doctor Fong. 

He says locking down Viti Levu is still on the cards if the need arises.

“We’re listening very closely to the story our screening and testing is telling us. It may extend further, and measures themselves could become more stringent. At the moment, no policy response is off the table, including targeted lockdowns of certain areas and even a lockdown of the whole of Viti Levu. If this happens, it will be announced with a deliberate, well-informed, and detailed plan.”

The Raiwaqa Health Centre, where a nurse tested positive last week, will open as normal from today.

Doctor Fong says the press conferences will be held several times a week to field questions from members of the media, particularly following major policy announcements.

This after two days in a row, media was not part of the announcements.