Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete. [File Photo]

The death of Fiji’s first border quarantine case goes to show that we must protect the elderly as they are most at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says they will work to ensure there is no community transmission of the coronavirus and that Fiji remains COVID-19 contained.

Dr Waqainabete says people who have underlying complications and those that have undergone major operations are classified as vulnerable.

“The young may get sick, may become unwell and may actually get through this. This actually brings to the fore that if anything in terms of how we can be able to continue to move on – for us as a Ministry of Health we continue to be strong in the processes that we have in place to protect this nation. We completely understand that the best way to protect our mums and dads and our grandfathers and grandmothers, I have a 98-year-old grandmother – is to make sure that we protect this nation and make sure we contain it and that has brought it the fore of how important it is that we need to work hand in hand.”

He adds those patients who remain in isolation are being closely monitored and healthcare professionals are tightening procedures following the death of the 66-year-old man.

“Those guidelines that WHO has together with the fact that our staff have had a lot of practice dealing other severe infections have prepared us to be able to have those protocols in place for this particular gentleman.”

Fiji was the 163rd country to confirm COVID-19 cases.