More COVID-19 Cases detected among Fiji Corrections Services

More COVID-19 positive cases have been detected in the Fiji Corrections Services 25-member cane cutting team that was deployed to Rakiraki on June 26.

It is unclear how many of the nine people that had tested positive were Corrections Officers and how many were inmates.

Early this week, five Corrections Officers tested positive in Rakiraki on Monday during their 14 days’ quarantine period at the Fiji Sugar Corporation Compound in Rakiraki as part of essential movement from red zone to green zone.

The officers were part of a 25-member deployment of inmates and officers under the Corrections Musu Dovu Operation.

They were deployed to Rakiraki on Saturday June 26, 2021 to provide much needed cane cutting labour to sugarcane farmers and the sugar industry.

It is understood that the inmates were from Korovou Prison in the Central Division.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Doctor James Fong said information regarding the COVID-19 cases was confidential however he confirmed they were confined to the

Fiji Sugar Corporation compound in Rakiraki.

“They are just confined to that area, that is our main priority, that they don’t go anywhere and remain there,” he said.

The Fiji Corrections Service Public Relations officer Jone Kalouniviti said strict measures had been initially implemented with officers in isolation and no one being allowed into the premises or out.

Mr Kalouniviti said they could not divulge any further information as anything to do with inmates was sensitive.