The shortage of quarantine facilities nationwide has caused the Ministry of Health to enter some of the positive COVID-19 cases into home isolation.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong, says the increasing number of cases has taken a strain on their quarantine capacity.

Dr Fong says specific guidance has been provided for individuals who have been advised to home isolate to ensure they do not have contact with other members of their households.

He adds it is vital that this is practiced, especially in multi-generational households.

The Permanent Secretary says their staff will be regularly checking up on those on home isolation and ensure that home isolation protocols are adhered to within the household.

He says that majority of the new cases are a result of transmission in closed indoor spaces.

The Ministry of Health is advising the public to avoid any situation that puts them into close quarters with others outside of their household or home bubble.

Dr Fong says they are preparing to shift into a mitigation phase as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to escalate in the Lami, Suva and Nausori containment area.

He says this will ensure that healthcare resources are focused on caring for patients who develop severe illness as a result of the virus.

This will also ensure that they receive proper treatment and achieve the best possible outcome from the care.

The Ministry of Health is imploring employers in the Lami, Suva and Nausori containment zone on the need to work from home wherever possible.