Fiji now has 24 COVID-19 cases as 4 new cases were recorded on Saturday.
This has resulted in containment areas in Lami, Suva, Nasinu, Nausori, Nadi and Lautoka.
Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says 2 of these cases are in Nadi, 1 is in Lautoka and 1 is in Makoi.
He says 3 of the cases involved persons who attended the funeral that the Health Ministry has identified as a super-spreader event, including a husband and wife who circulated through the community.
Doctor Fong says they were placed in quarantine on Friday, and the Ministry of Health is tracking their movements and contacts for the five days before they went into quarantine.
Regarding the Makoi case, Doctor Fong says they are not certain of the source of the woman’s infection, but the Ministry of Health is busy doing contact tracing to determine who she may have been in contact with before or after she was infected.
He says the woman from Makoi and her husband have been placed in quarantine, but prudence requires them to treat this case as a possible community transmission.
Doctor Fong says because they cannot yet pin down the movements of these people and identify all their contacts, the Health Ministry is forced to take strict precautionary measures against the possibility that the virus has spread within the Lami, Suva and Nausori areas and within the Nadi-Lautoka area.
He says once they receive further information regarding the Makoi case, there will be appropriate variations to these measures.
Doctor Fong says their purpose is to keep people from circulating unnecessarily.
He says if people don’t move, the virus won’t move.
Beginning at 4am tomorrow, when the curfew period ends, and for the next 14 days, the greater public will not be allowed in or out of the following containment zones :
Lami to Suva Nausori areas - For a period of 14 days, they will be closing off exits at the checkpoints, starting from 4am tomorrow morning, the 26th of April: beginning from Wainadoi to Tamavua-i- Wai which is the Lami containment area, Tamavua-i-Wai to 8 Miles near Rups Mega in Nakasi which is the Suva containment area and 8 Miles near Rups Mega in Nakasi to Logani Village on Kings Road which is the Nausori containment area.
Doctor Fong says the Nadi to Lautoka containment area will be divided into two zones — Nadi Zone will begin from Momi Junction to Lomolomo Police Post and from Lomolomo Police Post to Nacilau.
Doctor Fong says the current free movement between Lautoka to Nadi will no longer be allowed for the next 14 days beginning tomorrow.
Only persons travelling for medical purposes will be allowed through checkpoints.
All non-essential businesses must remain closed.
Doctor Fong says supermarkets and shops selling food and other essential items will remain open so that people can buy these essential items within their respective containment zones.
Similar to other essential services, markets will remain open only in and for the respective containment zones.
Pharmacies will also remain open.
The Permanent Secretary for Health says food and essential goods will remain on the shelves of our shops, markets and supermarkets.
He urges people not run to the supermarkets and bulk buy goods this afternoon as doing so will crowd these stores and put every shopper at risk.
Restaurants can remain open but only for takeaway and delivery orders within and for the containment zones. Limited banking services will be available, as will FNPF and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service.
Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says beginning today, when the curfew period ends, and for the next 14 days, the greater public will not be allowed in or out of the following containment zones :
Lami to Suva Nausori areas - For a period of 14 days, they will be closing off exits at the checkpoints, starting from 4am today, the 26th of April: beginning from Wainadoi to Tamavua-i- Wai which is the Lami containment area, Tamavua-i-Wai to 8 Miles Bridge near Rups Nakasi which is the Suva containment area and 8 Miles Bridge near Rups Nakasi to Logani Village in Tailevu on Kings Road which is the Nausori containment area.
Doctor Fong says the Nadi to Lautoka containment area will be divided into two zones — Nadi Zone will begin from Momi Junction to Lomolomo Police Post and from Lomolomo Police Post to Nacilau.
Doctor Fong says the current free movement between Lautoka to Nadi will no longer be allowed for the next 14 days beginning today.
Only persons traveling for medical purposes will be allowed through checkpoints.
All non-essential businesses must remain closed.
Doctor Fong says supermarkets and shops selling food and other essential items will remain open so that people can buy these essential items within their respective containment zones.
Similar to other essential services, markets will remain open only in and for the respective containment zones.
Pharmacies will also remain open.
The Permanent Secretary for Health says food and essential goods will remain on the shelves of our shops, markets and supermarkets.
He urges people not to run to the supermarkets and bulk buy goods this afternoon as doing so will crowd these stores and put every shopper at risk.
Restaurants can remain open but only for takeaway and delivery orders within and for the containment zones.
Limited banking services will be available, as will FNPF and Fiji Revenue and Customs Service.
Public transportation within the different containment zones will be available from today but limited to 50% seating capacity.
Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says they have made arrangements through the Land Transport Authority for this to be practically implemented.
Civil servants will be authorised to work from home at the discretion of their respective Permanent Secretaries.
Doctor Fong says essential businesses will remain open, as they did during the lockdown period last year.
That list includes air and rescue services, air traffic control services, ports services, civil aviation, telecommunication services, food, and sanitary manufacturing plants, electricity services, emergency services, fire services, health, and hospital services, lighthouse services, meteorological services, mine pumping, ventilation and winding, sanitary services, supply and distribution of fuel and gas, power, telecommunications, garbage collection, transport services, water and sewage services, FNPF and FRCS, civil service, private security services, and roading services.
If your business is not on this list, close it down.
The ports of Lautoka and Suva will remain open for international freight shipping and inter-island cargo shipping.
Any inter-island passenger travel from the ports of Suva, Denarau, Vuda, and Lautoka remain prohibited.
They will implement the previous Agriculture Marketing Authority arrangements to get food and produce into the respective containment zones.
At all checkpoints, suppliers can arrange with a police driver to ensure that produce still comes into the respective containment zones, and they do not let the virus escape the containment zones.
Employers in the listed essential businesses need to arrange a permission document for their employees in order to pass through the checkpoints, as was the case during the previous lockdown.
Employers should also try and make arrangements for their critical workers to move into the zones for the 14 day period.
Please contact 158 to acquire the permission documents which are your passes.
The Fiji Police Force will efficiently facilitate responses.
For those who cannot attend work at all because of the set-up of the containment zones, they will be able to access $220 a fortnight from their FNPF.
If funds are insufficient, the Government will top up the accounts.
Even within the respective containment zones, residents are again advised to avoid large social gatherings, particularly indoors.
Doctor Fong says your interactions should be limited entirely to those already living in your households.
If you need to walk around or exercise you may do so, but wear masks and maintain social distance when you must be out.
It is particularly important to download the careFIJI app and keep your phone Bluetooth turned on.
Wash your hands regularly.
Doctor Fong says we cannot afford to lose the war against this virus.
He says most Fijians are following and respecting the rules put in place but too many still aren’t.
Doctor Fong says if you’ve been thinking that this virus isn’t your problem, or that somehow your behavior hasn’t needed to change, get a grip.
He says this virus is here and it is serious.
Report any symptoms you’re feeling as soon as they develop by calling the COVID-19 Call Centre on toll-free number 158.
Stop sharing bilos and takis. Stop shaking hands, touching and embracing.
Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, multiple times a day.
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