Health Ministry working to develop a safe repatriation pathway as 6,000 people want to return to the North

The Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says the greater challenge now for the Northern Division is to ensure it is ready for the repatriation of approximately 6000 persons who wish to return home.

Dr Fong says the Ministry along with medical teams in the Northern Division are currently in the process of developing a safe repatriation pathway through outbreak readiness plans and quarantine facility preparedness.

He says they would like to acknowledge that to ensure a safe repatriation pathway is achieved the community engagement in the Northern Division is pivotal.

Dr Fong adds the medical teams from the Northern Division who were deployed to the Western and Central Divisions are now in the process of returning and they encourage them to get their well-deserved rest and be ready to provide both medical support and assist in quarantine preparedness.

He confirms there have been no new COVID-19 cases identified in the Namara Tiri settlement in Labasa over the last 24 hours, and the 4 active cases remain under observation and daily assessment.