Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama
Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has just confirmed that Fiji is putting into place a number of measures.
This is following the first case of COVID-19 in the country.
Bainimarama says the patient from Lautoka is in stable condition and is being monitored by health officials.
He says the person contracted the disease overseas and the health teams are working on being in contact with people who could have been potentially exposed to the virus.
From midnight tonight, our border restrictions on mainland China, Italy, Iran, Spain and South Korea will be extended to foreign nationals who have been present in the United States of America and all of Europe, including the United Kingdom, within 14 days of their intended travel to Fiji.
Also from midnight, anyone entering Fiji from any overseas destination will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days, meaning they must stay in one place and avoid contact with others or going out in public as much as possible.
Starting tonight at midnight, all schools and non-essential businesses within the greater Lautoka area will be closed until further notice.
The greater Lautoka area is that spanning from King’s Road at Nacilau Junction past Matawalu Village, to the feeder road at Vakabuli Junction, to the Queen’s Road at Natalau Junction.
Banks, supermarkets and pharmacies – and other essential businesses – in the Greater Lautoka Area will remain open.
Fiji has confirmed our first case of #COVID19.
We’ve announced the strongest border controls in Fijian history and rolled out sweeping measures to keep our people safe. Fiji is food secure and fully capable of combatting this virus.
Read my statement: https://t.co/KxO6piDMrs
— Frank Bainimarama (@FijiPM) March 19, 2020
In this moment of challenge, no one should not act in fear. We must all act out of the love we hold for our fellow Fijians.
We are in this together. We will endure this together. And we will overcome this together as well ??
— Frank Bainimarama (@FijiPM) March 19, 2020
Essential businesses include air and rescue services, air traffic control services, civil aviation, telecommunication services, food and sanitary manufacturing plants, electricity services, emergency services, fire services, health and hospital services, lighthouse services, meteorological services, mine pumping, ventilation and winding, sanitary services, supply and distribution of fuel and gas, power, telecommunications, garbage collection, transport services and water and sewage services.
Fijians who work –but do not live –in this area should report to the nearest office outside of the monitored area, regardless of whether their industry falls under the essential businesses list.
If there is no branch of your company outside of the greater Lautoka area, please contact your employer and government will, in the next few days, announce how your absence from work will be treated during this situation.
We advise all employers to accommodate the needs of your employees and not make any employees redundant.
Starting tonight all schools and non-essential services in the greater Lautoka areas will be closed until further notice.
Banks, supermarkets and pharmacies in the greater Lautoka areas will remain open.
The PM says those who stay in the greater Lautoka area will need to stay there and those who don’t stay in this area cannot travel there.
He has also announced gatherings of 20 or more people are now banned, and this includes meetings, religious gatherings and sports events.
Bainimarama says workplaces may remain open, buses and Fiji Link services can remain open and this includes workplaces and business and shipping outside of Lautoka.
He says night clubs, gyms and fitness centers, swimming pools and cinemas will close.
Fiji will also be establishing fever clinics in each Division, similar to what other countries have done to contain the virus at the local level.
These clinics will be designed to keep people with fevers away from vulnerable people who visit Health Centres and into separate, dedicated spaces specially designed to effectively identify possible COVID-19 cases.
All measures will be reviewed after 14 days.
Click here for more on COVID-19
If someone is feeling unwell or is showing symptoms of COVID-19, please contact the Health Ministry on:
Central: 2219905
Eastern: 2219906
Western: 2219907
Northern: 2219908
