SYDNEY, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Four Solomon Islands nationals, who are soccer players returning from Britain, have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

In a nationwide address through local media SIBC on Tuesday, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the four, together with other 12 soccer players, have been stranded in Britian since earlier this year.

They were among other recently returned passengers that transited through Auckland, New Zealand from countries like Italy, France, Britain which are currently experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Sogavare said the four confirmed cases are now in an isolation unit in the hospital, and the rest of the soccer players were quarantined together.

The remaining travellers on the flight have been quarantined in separate rooms to minimise the risk of further transmission, the prime minister said.

He also criticised one of the players who refused to wear mask on the flight and tested positive, saying he could put other passengers and the country at risk.

Sogavare also confirmed on the same day that all initial four positive cases in the country now turn to be negative and the patients will be released after three further tests are undertaken.

However, he said with four new cases and possibly more in the coming days, the country needs to urgently construct a field hospital and make sure it is operational by the end of this week to contain the virus.

"Any further possible infection will be contained in the quarantine stations and dealt with decisively," he said.

As of Tuesday, Solomon Islands recorded eight COVID-19 cases, with zero death related to the virus. Enditem

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