The remaining 10 crew members of a freighter that had two sailors test positive for Covid-19 in Fiji last Sunday have all returned negative results for the virus.
Health Minister Ifereimi Waqainabete said the crew had been found not to have Covid-19. Photo: Fiji Govt
Fiji's Health Ministry said the MV Island Chief arrived in the country from Tonga on 2 December to unload cargo in Lautoka and headed to Suva.
Health Minister Ifereimi Waqainabete said prior to that the vessel was in New Zealand and the crew underwent Covid-19 tests there.
"They were tested before they left Néw Zealand," he said.
"So far they have been tested in Fiji and they have been found not to have Covid-19 and they are currently at the quarantine area of the Suva bay and are undergoing the normal processes of quarantine.
Dr Waqainabete assured Parliament there was no threat to the public.
He said the two sailors who tested positive were now classified as border quarantine cases and were isolated in hospital.
He said all 21 people who came into contact with the vessel were in quarantine.
Waqainabete said the group included the ship's agents and customs and border officials who boarded the vessel.
"We want to ensure that our front-liners are at peace knowing that the risks that they go through if, God forbid, if they have Covid-19 there is a specified area that they can looked after in.
"We've also managed to buy vital signs monitors, patient monitors, infusion pumps, syringe pumps and cardiac monitors which was distributed in phases at our health facilities."
Fiji now has 11 Covid-19 cases, all in border quarantine.
Meanwhile, the MV Island Chief was due to call into Samoa, Tonga and Niue.
The Niue Government said the vessel is expected to now arrive at the island on 13 December.