A 30-year-old man is Fiji’s new border quarantine case of COVID-19.
He travelled from Manila, Philippines, transiting through Hong Kong, arriving in Nadi on flight FJ1394 on February 18.
He returned a weak positive result during routine testing while undergoing mandatory 14-day quarantine in a Government-designated border quarantine facility in Nadi.
He currently has no symptoms and had tested negative on pre-departure testing before departing for Fiji. Based on the weak positive test result, and current lack of symptoms, he is considered a historical case, who was likely infected and recovered multiple weeks or months before entering Fiji.
The Ministry of Health says the man was transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital following the standard protocol for COVID-19 cases.
It says the frontline border quarantine staff that may have had any contact with the case will be monitored and tested as a precaution according to the protocols.
A 58-year-old woman also returned a weak positive test result during routine testing while undergoing mandatory 14-day quarantine in a Government-designated border quarantine facility in Nadi.
She had travelled from Panama, transiting through Los Angeles, arriving in Nadi on flight FJ1811 on February 18.
The woman had tested positive and was confirmed as a COVID-19 case in Panama in December 2020.
She recovered and tested negative during subsequent tests, including a pre-departure test, before departing for Fiji.
Based on the weak positive test results, her current lack of symptoms, and history of testing positive in Panama, this is considered a historical case, which will not be counted as a new case for Fiji. She is also unlikely to be infectious, though as a precaution, she has also been isolated.
Fiji has now had 57 cases in total, with 1 active case, 54 recoveries and 2 deaths.
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