By Eleanor Gee

Two Tongan nationals, who are trying to get back to Tonga, have tested positive for COVID-19 at a border quarantine facility in Nadi according to Fiji health officials.

The first to test positive was a 23-year-old male announced by health officials on 29 April, and the second, a 22-year-old male announced on 6 May, while undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The pair travelled from Guyana in South America to Fiji via New Zealand, arriving in Nadi on separate flights on 22 April, with the second arriving on the last inbound international flight FJ1410 from Auckland, before incoming flights to Fiji were halted.

Meanwhile, MEIDECC CEO, Paula Ma’u confirmed this morning that the two Tongan nationals who tested positive to COVID, were not part of the 40 returning Tongans who arrived in Fiji from the USA.

Paula said the 40 passengers arrived in Fiji at different times, with the first group arriving on 23 March.

All 40 passengers have completed the mandatory quarantine in Fiji and are waiting for the next flight to Tonga.

“They have all been tested negative before being released from quarantine,” he said.

The Tongan Government has decided to provide financial assistance to the group for hotel accommodation while they wait for a flight to Tonga. 

The repatriation flight from Fiji that was due to arrive in Tonga this week has been postponed, due to rising community COVID-19 cases.

Fiji now has 42 active COVID-19 cases in isolation. They include 9 border quarantine cases, 29 local transmission, and 4 under investigation to determine the source of transmission.