10 SI students infected with COVID-19 in Fiji, 2 recovered

Ten Solomon Islands students in Fiji have been tested positive for the COVID-19 delta variant in Fiji and are in isolation in their apartment in Suva. Senior government officials say of the 10, two are recovering.

The infections come about as Fiji continues to record high cases of COVID-19 since the community transmission last month.

Attorney General John Muria Jr confirms that the positive ten students are currently isolated in the same accommodation.

Permeant Secretary of Education Dr. Franco Roddie told the national COVID-19 radio programme this afternoon that the students are housed at Nasese in Suva.

Muria says initially only two were tested positive but as expected everyone in the accommodation were positive with COVID-19.

“All are asymptomatic and we continue to provide consular service through our high commission and the Solomon Islands families living in Suva,’ the attorney-general, reveals.

Muri further explains that two of the students (who were earlier infected) were given their release by the Ministry of Health in Fiji today however were advised not to leave the accommodation but to remain in the unit until all 10 are negative and released by Fiji (ministry of health).

On repatriation, Muria states that government authorities are taking it carefully and do not want to rush it.

“We want to analysis it very carefully before we make a decision,” he states.

He adds taking into consideration the high rise of cases in Fiji, it is quite particularly risky “for us to bring in our kids and for other people in Fiji to come in.”

Muria points out that Fiji only started with two cases that led to the outbreak which now sees them recording 5639 as of today.

More than 130 students were expected to return via a repatriation flight but Roddie says that flight might be on hold as “we are monitoring the situation in Fiji. “The least thing that we want to do is to bring somebody who is infected with the Delta variant which is quite contagious. We don’t want to spread it here,” Roddie reiterates.

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