Covid 19 coronavirus: Two more cases in Fiji

Fiji health officials Dr Aalisha SahuKhan, left, and Dr James Fong. Photo / Fiji Govt

Two new cases of Covid-19 infections have been reported in Fiji.

This brings the total number of known Covid cases in Fiji to 111, since its first case was detected on March 19, 2020. Forty-four of these cases are currently active and isolated.

Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr James Fong said one of the two patients - a 53-year-old caretaker of the Ra Provincial Office - was of concern.

"The man's case will require additional investigation into his contacts to determine if he was definitively linked to other active cases."

He had shown symptoms such as body aches when he visited the Nanukuloa Health Centre on April 24 and is now in the Lautoka Hospital isolation ward.

Fong said the second of Wednesday's new cases is a 25-year-old male who had stayed at the house of the Makoi woman who tested positive to the virus on Saturday.

The two new cases of the B1617 variant of Covid-19 pose a threat never seen before for those on Viti Levu, says Fong.

"We remain in a period of nationwide containment, but these two latest clusters indicate to us that this virus has spread to localities in several different areas of Viti Levu.

"These two weeks will define the next two months for Fiji, and we all need to behave like we have Covid, even if there are no known cases in our community or we are showing no symptoms of the virus."

Fong said Fijians must act to contain the threatening B1617 variant of Covid-19.

This variant has been described as one with worrying mutations that could create major chaos.

The FBC reports medical officials are trying to get people to understand the need to take precautionary measures over the next fortnight, saying otherwise the country faces a severe outcome.

B1617, which has been called a double mutant, has occurred in India, Brazil, South Africa, the UK and the US.