Foot and mouth disease

These diseases is caused by a family of viruses called enteroviruses.

Permanent Secretary Doctor James Fong says the disease can be mistaken for what many have read about monkeypox.

Thus, he said the ministry was yet to diagnose a case of monkeypox.

Fong says Fiji is in the middle of its chickenpox season, and measles cases have also been noted.

FBC reports the PS says the ministry has released a number of health advisories and guidelines to all clinicians in the public and private sectors in order to facilitate early case identification and reporting.

The Chinese company rebuilding Bauefield Airport was stopped last month from unloading metal for fear of contamination.

But machinery and equipment on the vessel has now been brought ashore.

RNZs correspondent in Vanuatu reported this equipment may have come in contact with contaminated metal.

The opposition said the unloading happened despite the concerns of quarantine officials and farmers.

It said agriculture was a key industry for Vanuatu and to ignore regulations and offload potentially contaminated goods was a slap in the face for the sector.