Fiji is preparing to impose a major COVID-19 lockdown on its Central Division region after the Pacific nation reported that a woman who was part of a new cluster had died.
A 24-hour curfew will come into effect for Suva and Nausori from 11pm today to 4am next Tuesday.

Fiji Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said the latest death was a woman from the recent cluster detected at Makoi, a suburb north of Suva, which has been the centre of multiple cases this week.

Fiji
Suva, the capital of Fiji ,will be under curfew after new coronavirus cases were confirmed. (Getty)

Dr Fong said she was taken to intensive care after her condition began deteriorating rapidly.

The fatality brings the COVID-19 death toll in Fiji to four.

Meanwhile, Dr Fong announced four more new cases: Another woman from Makoi and three who are administration staff at the Fiji Centre for Disease Control.

Earlier Fiji’s FBC news reported that three cases reported yesterday are co-workers of a staff member of Extra Supermarket, who had tested positive yesterday.

The supermarket has been closed for decontamination purposes while the ministry awaits the test results from the remaining staff and management.

Dr Fong, said Extra Supermarket operates with a well-enforced policy of mask-wearing, and mandated that all staff and customers have the careFIJI app installed with bluetooth turned on, and this has allowed teams to identify hundreds of contacts very quickly.

Dr Fong said the new clusters require large-scale contact tracing and further positive tests are expected in coming days.

“We expect many more of these individuals to register positive test results,” Dr Fong said.

He also said the lockdown could be extended to other parts of Fiji.

Fiji authorities said the COVID-19 curfew could be extended to other parts of the Pacific nation. (Getty)
Coronavirus cases are exploding in Asia and the Pacific with over 5.9 million new confirmed infections in the past two weeks, more than in all other regions combined, the International Federation of the Red Cross said yesterday.

It warned that the surge is pushing hospitals and health systems to the brink of collapse.

Seven out of 10 countries globally that are doubling their infection numbers the fastest are in Asia and the Pacific, it said.



This content first appear on 9news

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