Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is urging the public to continue to practise hand hygiene and other basic COVID-19 safety measures after recording two new border cases of COVID-19.

Both females, one aged 49 years and the other 58, arrived on flight NZ952 from New Zealand on 24 December.

They tested positive during routine exit testing while undergoing mandatory quarantine in the government designated (and Republic of Fiji Military Forces supervised) border quarantine facilities in Nadi.

“The individuals were safely and hygienically transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital in accordance with the standard protocol for confirmed cases. They were asymptomatic and well since arrival in Fiji. The frontline border and quarantine staff who were directly involved with the cases have followed our standard infection prevention and control protocols, and will be monitored and tested as necessary.”

Fiji has had 55 cases since the first case was detected on 19 March, with the last 34 cases detected in border quarantine.  It has been 302 days since Fiji’s mfirst case and 272 days since the last case was detected outside border quarantine.

The ministry said along with its partner agencies they have reviewed strategies at the border to ensure that the risks are negligible.