Makoi soldier came into contact with case 73 when he went to pick up people from Tanoa Hotel - Dr Fong

The Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says the soldier from Makoi was looking after Novotel Hotel and came into contact with case 73 when he went to Tanoa Hotel in Nadi to pick up people who were ready to be discharged on 12th April.

Case 73 was the first border quarantine soldier announced to have been infected by the virus on Sunday, April 18th.

Dr Fong says case 73 tested negative on the 12th and was only found positive on the 17th of April.

When questioned by fijivillage if the soldier from Makoi was one of the people contact traced when case 73 tested positive, Dr Fong says it would have been much easier to contact trace the Makoi soldier if he just had the careFiji app on.

He says they only found out about the Makoi soldier when they diagnosed his wife and linked him to case 73.

Dr Fong says the contact tracing is only as good as the travel history the ministry receives because the soldier did not have the careFiji app on.

He adds that is why they have been asking Fijians to download the app for a long time now.