All incoming passengers will soon be required to fill supplementary Arrival Health Declaration Form

The Ministry of Health says as an added health screening measure, all incoming passengers from abroad will soon be required to complete a supplementary Arrival Health Declaration Form to help ensure all travellers are checked for their potential exposure to the Novel Coronavirus.

The ministry says as a core part of Fiji’s preparedness for possible introduction of the coronavirus, they are 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 are undergoing additional health screenings.

The Ministry of Health has also begun providing refresher training to health workers on infection prevention and control measures from today, ensuring they are aware and equipped with the correct procedures and protective wear to safely respond to any potential cases.

At present there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Fiji, or any other Pacific island country.

The Ministry says the 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.

It says travel bans have been proven to be ineffective in stopping infectious diseases crossing borders, and may in fact worsen the impact of an outbreak. 

The Health Ministry says 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.

The ministry says 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 travellers visiting or returning from affected areas, and enhancing the skills and resources of our health staff to rapidly respond if a case is identified.