Fiji is now free of COVID-19 however, Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has stressed that restrictions remain in place for the moment.

The three active COVID-19 patients who were in isolation in Navua for more than two months now were cleared yesterday.

Dr Waqainabete says social distancing, personal and hand hygiene should continue.

“We all have to understand that the layers that the government has put in place continue so in terms of border restrictions, in terms of people being put into government-designated quarantine facilities, in terms of the testing, the Honorable Prime Minister has also alluded that our testing capability has increased dramatically and that doesn’t change. We need to continue doing that to make sure that we as a nation are robust in terms of the processes around COVID-19.”

Dr Waqainabete says over one hundred Fijians are still in quarantine facilities.

“The processes around them in terms of the 14 days plus testing and if they are negative they go home that process still remains.”

The Minister says more than 2,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted and around 92 percent of Fiji’s population have been screened at the fever clinics.

Meanwhile, EU Ambassador to Pacific, Sujiro Seam congratulated the efforts of the Government along with the Health Ministry, saying Fiji’s 100% recovery is incredible news.