The Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services says it is closely monitoring the current outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus in China and is continuing its efforts to prepare for its potential introduction to Fiji. At present there are no confirmed cases of the virus in Fiji.
Fiji has said it is not currently imposing any travel bans or “implementing unnecessary restrictions to international travel”.
This is because international spread of the disease is best stopped by rapid containment efforts at the source, and early detection and response, not by implementing unnecessary restrictions to international travel. Travel bans have been proven to be ineffective in stopping infectious diseases crossing borders, and may in fact worsen the impact of an outbreak. Fiji did not impose travel bans during the SARS epidemic in 2003 nor the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) pandemic in 2009. Most countries worldwide have not implemented travel bans in response to this outbreak in China, and they are not recommended by the World Health Organisation.
Alongside other countries globally, including New Zealand, Australia and the United States, Fiji has intensified efforts to reduce the risk of the virus being introduced and spreading in Fiji through a multilayered approach, including early identification of cases at the international borders and in the community, targeted awareness for high-risk persons, in particular travelers visiting or returning from affected areas, and enhancing the skills and resources of our health staff to rapidly respond if a case is identified.
As a core part of Fiji’s preparedness for possible introduction of the virus, the Ministry is working with international border control stakeholders, including airlines and airport and port authorities, to enhance existing mechanisms to detect ill travellers at international points of entry. Under Fijian legislation, airlines and vessels are required to report any ill passengers prior to disembarking. All travellers arriving on flights from Hong Kong and Singapore undergo additional health screening. And as an added health screening measure, all incoming passengers will soon be required to complete s supplementary arrivals card – an Arrival Health Declaration Form- to help ensure all travellers are checked for their potential exposure to the virus.
