Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong has announced 3 new COVID-19 cases in Labasa and 1 death in Naviti Island in Yasawa.
Of the 423 new cases of COVID, 328 cases are from the Western Division, 92 cases are from the Central Division and 3 cases from the Northern Division.
The 3 new cases in Vanua Levu were detected in Namara Tiri Settlement in the Macuata Subdivision.
Doctor Fong says the index case is a freight vehicle driver who works at the Nabouwalu Wharf and was tested as part of the routine surveillance program for those working within the Nabouwalu Wharf operations.
He tested positive on the 24th of August and subsequently 2 household contacts have also turned positive.
Doctor Fong says his previous negative swabs on 14th July, 3rd August and 12th August were negative, suggesting recent exposure and infection.
In response to the cases reported today, the Namara Tiri Settlement has been declared a lockdown area.
Checkpoints will be set up at the 2 road entry points into the settlement.
Doctor Fong says most families in the lockdown area are low income earners.
Food and supplies will be supplied through the police checkpoints to individual families with strict COVID measures.
Based on the movements of the index case, a restricted movement zone is also declared for the greater Labasa Town area.
The objective will be to limit the risk of mass community transmission, and to better screen the local population.
Curfew hours will be brought forward to 8pm to 4am for Labasa Town area.
Doctor Fong says curfew hours will be reviewed, if more cases are identified.
Any person in a public place within the Province of Bua and Macuata, must, except with reasonable excuse, wear a face covering in the proper manner, with effect from 27th August, 2021.
Children under the age of 5 are exempt from this requirement.
Supermarkets and shops selling food can open so that people can buy food. Ensure strict COVID 19 protocols are followed.
Banks can open so that people can get money with strict COVID measures.
Pharmacies can open so that people can get medicine with strict COVID measures.
FNPF can open so that people can access funds with strict COVID measures.
Within the Labasa Town Area, higher-risk businesses, such as gyms, movie theatres, video gaming shops, cyber cafes, taverns, bars, billiard shops and amusement arcades cannot open for at least the next 14 days.
Restaurants may not open for in-person dining, but may offer delivery and take-away services.
Other businesses, such as factories and shops, can open as well. However, it is vital that vendors and businesses ensure strict physical distancing before opening their doors. Make sure customers in queues are spaced out by two metres and manage crowding.
Customer-facing businesses should limit customer capacity to 50%.
Businesses that do not manage these risks with COVID-safe plans will be shut down.
Doctor Fong says they are strengthening their network of screening clinics to keep those with COVID-like symptoms away from vulnerable people who visit Health Centres and into separate, dedicated spaces specially designed to effectively identify possible COVID-19 cases.
Please visit one of the clinics immediately to get tested if you live in the Northern Division and have a runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, body ache, headache, loss of taste or smell, difficulty breathing.
Meanwhile there has also been a COVID-19 death in Somosomo Village, on Naviti island, in the Yasawas.
This is a 94 year old woman who died at home in Somosomo on 23rd August.
Investigations are underway into how this person became infected, and the Ministry’s response team in the West are conducting contact tracing and testing of contacts to identify more cases on the island.
More information will be provided to the public as investigations progress.
There are 6 more individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Malolo Island.
Malolo now has 23 active cases.
A medical team from Lautoka has travelled to Malolo Island to assist the onsite medical team with the necessary response, including isolation of cases, contact tracing, and quarantine of contacts.
There have been 230 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 19,280 active cases.
9,568 active cases are in the Central Division, 9,573 active cases in the Western Division, 4 active cases in the Northern Division (Nabouwalu and Macuata) and 135 active cases in the Eastern Division (all in Kadavu).
There have been 45,098 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021.
We have recorded a total of 45,168 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 25,138 recoveries.
