A Covid-19 outbreak that forced Fiji's capital into lockdown after the island nation avoided transmission for a year was confirmed as the Indian variant Tuesday, with health officials saying they feared a "tsunami" of cases.

The Pacific country had largely dodged community transmission before a cluster emerged this month centred on a quarantine facility in Nadi, the city that is home to Fiji's international airport. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fiji-capital-in-lockdown-after-funeral-turns-out-to-be-virus-superspreader-event-380468">Also read | Fiji capital in lockdown after funeral turns out to be virus 'superspreader' event</a> 
 
The permanent secretary for health and medical services, James Fong, said six new cases had emerged in quarantine facilities on Tuesday and events in India showed the threat posed by the strain could not be underestimated.

"We cannot let that nightmare happen in Fiji," he said in a televised address.

"We still have time to stop it happening but a single misstep will bring about the same Covid tsunami that our friends in India, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States are enduring."

Fiji has largely contained the virus through strict isolation measures and border controls, recording 109 cases and just two deaths in a population of 930,000.

There are currently 42 active cases, 18 of them detected at the border and 24 locally transmitted.

The cluster began when a soldier contracted the virus at a quarantine facility and transmitted it to his wife, who then exposed up to 500 people at a funeral.

Fong said there was evidence that soldiers who had returned from overseas deployments had broken quarantine rules by mixing when they should have been in isolation.

"This is unacceptable," he said, adding that the military was investigating what had happened.

The capital Suva is in lockdown, along with Nadi and Lautoka, Fiji's second-largest city.

Authorities on Tuesday banned inter-island travel, while national carrier Fiji Airways has suspended all international and domestic passenger flights.

The emergence of community transmission is a blow for Fiji's hopes of opening quarantine-free travel bubbles with Australia and New Zealand, both major sources of international tourists before the pandemic.

A Covid-19 outbreak that forced Fiji's capital into lockdown after the island nation avoided transmission for a year was confirmed as the Indian variant Tuesday, with health officials saying they feared a "tsunami" of cases.

A Covid-19 outbreak that forced Fiji's capital into lockdown after the island nation avoided transmission for a year was confirmed as the Indian variant Tuesday, with health officials saying they feared a "tsunami" of cases. The Pacific country had largely dodged community transmission before a cluster emerged this month centred on a quarantine facility in Nadi, the city that is home to Fiji's international airport. Also read | Fiji capital in lockdown after funeral turns out to be virus 'superspreader' event The permanent secretary for health and medical services, James Fong, said six new cases had emerged in quarantine facilities on Tuesday and events in India showed the threat posed by the strain could not be underestimated. "We cannot let that nightmare happen in Fiji," he said in a televised address. "We still have time to stop it happening but a single misstep will bring about the same Covid tsunami that our friends in India, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States are enduring." Fiji has largely contained the virus through strict isolation measures and border controls, recording 109 cases and just two deaths in a population of 930,000. There are currently 42 active cases, 18 of them detected at the border and 24 locally transmitted. The cluster began when a soldier contracted the virus at a quarantine facility and transmitted it to his wife, who then exposed up to 500 people at a funeral. Fong said there was evidence that soldiers who had returned from overseas deployments had broken quarantine rules by mixing when they should have been in isolation. "This is unacceptable," he said, adding that the military was investigating what had happened. The capital Suva is in lockdown, along with Nadi and Lautoka, Fiji's second-largest city. Authorities on Tuesday banned inter-island travel, while national carrier Fiji Airways has suspended all international and domestic passenger flights. The emergence of community transmission is a blow for Fiji's hopes of opening quarantine-free travel bubbles with Australia and New Zealand, both major sources of international tourists before the pandemic.

COVID-19: Fiji fears virus 'tsunami' after outbreak found to be Indian variant

The Fijian capital Suva entered a 14-day lockdown Monday as the Pacific island nation battled to contain a Covid-19 spike following a "superspreader" funeral event.

Around 100,000 people in the city must stay in containment zones and non-essential businesses are shuttered after the first community coronavirus cases in 12 months were detected.

A soldier contracted the virus at a quarantine facility and is believed to have transmitted it to a maid, who then exposed up to 500 people at a funeral.

The permanent secretary for health and medical services, James Fong, said four new cases emerged over the weekend.&nbsp;

"Three of the cases involved persons who attended the funeral that we have identified as a superspreader event, including a husband and wife who circulated through the community," Fong said.

It is not clear how the fourth person, a woman from the outskirts of Suva, became infected.

"She and her husband have been placed in quarantine, but prudence requires us to treat this case as a possible community transmission," Fong said.

"Because we cannot yet pin down the movements of these people and identify all their contacts, we are forced to take strict precautionary measures."&nbsp;

Fiji&nbsp;has largely contained the virus through strict isolation measures and border controls, recording fewer than 100 cases and just two deaths in a population of 930,000.

The emergence of community transmission is a blow for&nbsp;Fiji's hopes of opening quarantine-free travel bubbles with Australia and New Zealand, the source of most of its international visitors.

Fiji's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, which has all but evaporated during the pandemic.

Monthly visitor numbers were down up to 99 percent from pre-pandemic levels, according to government statistics.

Australia and New Zealand opened a trans-Tasman bubble a week ago allowing quarantine-free travel between the two countries -- although New Zealand has since suspended contact with Western Australia due to a Covid-19 outbreak in Perth.

The Fijian capital Suva entered a 14-day lockdown Monday as the Pacific island nation battled to contain a Covid-19 spike following a "superspreader" funeral event.

The Fijian capital Suva entered a 14-day lockdown Monday as the Pacific island nation battled to contain a Covid-19 spike following a "superspreader" funeral event. Around 100,000 people in the city must stay in containment zones and non-essential businesses are shuttered after the first community coronavirus cases in 12 months were detected. A soldier contracted the virus at a quarantine facility and is believed to have transmitted it to a maid, who then exposed up to 500 people at a funeral. The permanent secretary for health and medical services, James Fong, said four new cases emerged over the weekend. "Three of the cases involved persons who attended the funeral that we have identified as a superspreader event, including a husband and wife who circulated through the community," Fong said. It is not clear how the fourth person, a woman from the outskirts of Suva, became infected. "She and her husband have been placed in quarantine, but prudence requires us to treat this case as a possible community transmission," Fong said. "Because we cannot yet pin down the movements of these people and identify all their contacts, we are forced to take strict precautionary measures." Fiji has largely contained the virus through strict isolation measures and border controls, recording fewer than 100 cases and just two deaths in a population of 930,000. The emergence of community transmission is a blow for Fiji's hopes of opening quarantine-free travel bubbles with Australia and New Zealand, the source of most of its international visitors. Fiji's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, which has all but evaporated during the pandemic. Monthly visitor numbers were down up to 99 percent from pre-pandemic levels, according to government statistics. Australia and New Zealand opened a trans-Tasman bubble a week ago allowing quarantine-free travel between the two countries -- although New Zealand has since suspended contact with Western Australia due to a Covid-19 outbreak in Perth.

Fiji capital in lockdown after funeral turns out to be virus 'superspreader' event

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COVID-19: Fiji fears virus 'tsunami' after outbreak found to be Indian variant

Fiji capital in lockdown after funeral turns out to be virus 'superspreader' event