Pacific Covid-19 update

- Fiji has confirmed its 18th case of Covid-19. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the latest case is a 51-year-old woman from Ba who had returned from the United State on March 22.

Bainimarama said the woman had completed 14 days of home isolation and she was cleared. “Only later did she develop Covid-like symptoms. The results of her test make it likely that she has been carrying the virus for weeks.” He said the woman shared a home with three other people and they had all tested negative for the virus. “We have traced and identified her other casual contacts and they have all been entered into compulsory home quarantine.” The prime minister said despite Ba recording its first case of the coronavirus, the town would not be locked down. But he said mobile teams would conduct screening of the entire province.

- Tonga and Samoa – both nations still virus free – have received boosts to their Covid-19 responses from the Asian Development Bank. Tonga has been boosted with a US$6 million grant from the bank and Samoa has received a US$2.9 million grant.