COVID Patient on The Loose Shock

■ Police learn of infected person visiting town as they drop off food ration pack at his home in Wainibuku ■ Authorities concerned this could be one reason why the virus is widespread

Police are investigating a potential COVID-19 breach by an infected person, who is said to have broken isolation rules. It comes after a post on social media claimed that the COVID-19 patient was not at his home when a food ration pack was delivered to his home in Wainibuku.

When the patient was called by the frontliners, he was asked about his whereabouts, and he told them that he was out of the house.

The Police, who was part of the delivery team, advised them to wait.

To the team’s bewilderment, when

the man finally arrived, he was asked where he had gone to and he replied that he was in town.

The tweet by a Napolioni Jefferson Masirewa (Twitter handle: @grog-simp) continued: “A COVID POSITIVE CASE WENT TO TOWN! NOW WE KNOW WHY THE NUMBER OF CASES AREN’T DOWN.’

Police spokesperson Wame Bautolu said they were investigating the breach.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said people not following protocols and directives was possibly the reason for the increase in the cases in the Central Division. He said following the directives and COVID safe protocols was the next best thing to a lockdown.

According to Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete this was not an isolated case and such breaches had been brought to the attention of the ministry.

“It is disappointing to learn about that and it is nothing new,” he said.

“I have come across many other scenarios where that has happened.”

“When you are asked to isolate, you must isolate, when you are asked to quarantine, you must quarantine. All of us had to do it including me, the PS, Dr Jemesa and Dr Aalisha. It is what it is. When we are asked by the experts we must do so because it is one of the ways we can prevent the spread of the virus.”

Dr Waqainabete said people had to keep in mind that such breaches would result in legal actions whereby people could face court or be fined for not following legal directives.