Minister for Health, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete has confirmed that health officers at our ports are looking at ways in which they can screen specifically for Coronavirus as there are ships that may originate from places that already have cases of the virus.
When questioned by Fijivillage on our state of preparedness for Asian fishing vessels at our ports, Doctor Waqainabete says health officers normally inspect and assess any potential for public health and communicable health issues and they will deal with Coronavirus similarly for now.
He says border protection is one way to control the disease and stop it but it is not the only one.
The Health Minister adds that there are other things that people should be able to do which include personal hygiene.
He says that if someone does have the virus, the ministry will make sure that they support them with medical treatment and also quarantine them so that they do not see the disease spread elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Fiji Ports Corporation CEO, Vajira Piyasena says they are waiting for instructions from the Ministry of Health as to what can be done to further strengthen health security at the ports.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases like pneumonia, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.
It can transmit through coughs or sneezes from infected person or touching contaminated objects.
The common symptoms are fever, dry cough developing after 2 to 7 days, mild breathing at the outset, gastro-intestinal issues, diarrhea and general body aches.
The World Health Organisation says to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection people must clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub. Cover nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow.
They also say to avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
The World Health Organisation says people should thoroughly cook meat and eggs and to avoid unprotected contact with live wild or farm animals.
According to the New York Times, 106 people are dead and more than 2,700 cases have been confirmed in China.
There are five cases each in Australia, Taiwan and the United States, eight in Thailand, two each in Vietnam, Japan and Nepal, five in Singapore, four in South Korea and three in France.
