4th case of COVID-19 confirmed in Fiji

The fourth case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Fiji - and this case is from Suva.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says early this morning, they confirmed the fourth case of COVID-19.

This patient is not related to our first three cases.

He is a 28 year old Fijian man who arrived back into the country on Saturday from Australia.

Bainimarama says when the man left that Fiji Airways flight FJ916 on March 21st, he was not showing any symptoms of COVID-19.

He says he was advised by health officials at the airport to go straight home and self-quarantine for 14 days.

The Prime Minister says it appears the man did everything right.

He says the man went from the airport straight to his flat in Suva, where he immediately self-quarantined.

On Sunday night, while he was still self-quarantined, the 28 year old man developed mild symptoms – a sore throat, and then a cough.

The man then contacted the Health Ministry and a rapid response team was immediately dispatched to his home, where he was examined and tested.

The patient then remained in self-quarantine until the test for COVID-19 returned positive.

After the test was confirmed, an ambulance transported the patient securely and hygienically to our Central Division isolation ward at Navua Hospital.,/p>

Separate ambulances then transported all members of his household to the Navua Hospital isolation ward, even though their contact with this patient was limited and they currently display no symptoms.

They all remain isolated at the hospital, where they pose zero risk to the public.

There were 26 other people on the same flight –– flight FJ 1916 –– from Sydney to Nadi on Saturday, March 21st.