Fiji extends lockdown in 2nd largest city to contain COVID-19
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E-mail Xinhua, April 1, 2020
SUVA, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Fiji extended on Wednesday the lockdown in the island nation's second largest city of Lautoka until at least next Tuesday.
Announcing this at a press conference later Wednesday, Fiji's Minister for Health and Medical Services Ifereimi Waqanibete said the Fijian government wants to ensure there are no COVID-19 cases left undetected.
"The incubation period for this virus can be as long as 14 days. That is why, out of an abundance of caution, the Lautoka confined area will remain locked down at least until 5 a.m. local time in the morning on Tuesday, April 7. By that time, if we are confident that we have flushed out the virus, the restrictions may be relaxed," he said.
"If we lift the restrictions too early and we have missed even one person in Lautoka who has contracted the disease, the rest of Viti Levu (Fiji's main island) would be at-risk," he said,
The 14-day lockdown for Lautoka was put in place following the island nation reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 19 and the lockdown was originally to end this Friday.
The minister also confirmed that Fiji has so far done a total of 368 tests, with 11 undertaken on Tuesday night, which were all negative. Currently, Fiji has confirmed five cases of COVID-19.
To curb the spread of COVID-19, Fiji has taken a lot of measures including the closure of its borders to foreign nationals from high-risk countries, the ban of air passenger travel and cruise ships to Fiji as well as a nationwide curfew from Monday night. Enditem
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