Fiji’s central division, including the capital Suva, is to go into a hard lockdown from tomorrow night.
It comes after nine more Covid-19 cases were announced on Wednesday. Three of those work at a Suva supermarket, another person there tested positive the day before.
There’s also concern about another infected case, who is a market vendor in Nausori. So far, nine people who have tested positive in the community have no links to existing cases.
From 11pm Friday local time until 4 am Tuesday, nobody will be allowed out of their homes in the Suva-Nausori areas.
Residents are being given until that time to do their shopping, but Secretary of Health James Fond is urging the public to practise social distancing.
“I know we saw some panic buying yesterday. When I see images of those crowds, I see lives at risk. I see potential ICUs being filled with dying patients," Fond said.
He fears these runs on supermarkets will have lead to widespread transmission but hopes he’s wrong. There will be a hotline for people to ring if they run out of food during the lockdown.
Other areas in Viti Levu will have curfew hours of 6 pm to 4 am. However, if cases are discovered, lockdown measures may be imposed.
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