Fiji Tightens Quarantine As Coronavirus Cases Rise In Asia Pacific

Faizan Hashmi Published August 21, 2020 | 03:28 PM

The health minister of Fiji said Friday the South Pacific island nation was toughening coronavirus quarantine measures after seeing the number of cases rise across the region

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2020) The health minister of Fiji said Friday the South Pacific island nation was toughening coronavirus quarantine measures after seeing the number of cases rise across the region.

"We are taking preventative measures to ensure that the quarantine protocols will be adhered to at all times," James Fong, the Health Ministry's permanent secretary, said.

The top health official said Fiji was preparing for what he called high-risk rescue flights arriving from abroad in the coming weeks, according to the public broadcaster FBC.

The country confirmed a total of 28 cases and one death on Monday, with more than 7,600 people tested. Fong said more than 200 were isolated at quarantine facilities.

Australia and New Zealand reported the first community transmissions since the start of the pandemic, while Australia saw a cluster emerge in Victoria state. The virus has also been spreading in Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia and Guam.