Health Minister Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete confirms that they are planning to have thermal cameras around Suva as work continues to control the spread of COVID-19 in Fiji and to ensure that the current patients are treated well.

All the 16 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Fiji are in stable condition and none of them need a ventilator.

Doctor Waqainabete says they have done very well to prevent Fijians from needing a ventilator.

He says data suggests that if anyone with COVID-19 gets on a ventilator, an average of 50 percent of them don’t make it.

Doctor Waqainabete says they have to make sure these patients are in a comfortable environment and feel at home.

He says this is done so these patients would not want to get out of the facilities.

All 6 COVID-19 tests done last night have come back negative.

Doctor Waqainabete confirmed this to Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama this morning.

The last confirmed positive case was announced on Good Friday.

650 people have been tested so far by the Fiji Centres for Disease Control in Tamavua.

100,000 Fijians need to be screened for the Health Ministry to be able to give the policy advice to lift the Suva lockdown

The Health Ministry is aiming to screen more than 100,000 Fijians in the Suva containment area by Thursday evening to be able to give the policy advice to lift the lockdown.

Minister Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete says they have more staff on the ground now and have screened 38,600 Fijians so far.

Doctor Waqainabete says when this is done by Thursday evening, they would like to say that they have looked thoroughly as much as they can and they know that there is no community transmission of COVID-19.

He says the Ministry is looking at forming more than 50 medical teams to ensure that they cover the whole of Suva area. They currently have 30 teams.

Doctor Waqainabete says they also have assistance from the RFMF and Police.

The Minister is pleading with people to allow Health officials in the Suva containment area to fully conduct their screenings so that they are able to flush out this virus.

He says they had screened more than 59,000 Fijians in Lautoka before they were happy to give the policy advice to be able to lift the lockdown.