GPH, Holiday Inn, Suva Peninsula and James Cook Hotel are currently being used as quarantine facilities in Suva – Dr Waqainabete

Minister for Health Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete says the Grand Pacific Hotel, James Cook Hotel, Holiday Inn and Peninsula in Suva are currently being used as quarantine facilities.

Doctor Waqainabete highlighted this when questioned by FijiFirst MP Joseph Nand to give an update on the number of quarantine facilities and how they are managed.

The Health Minister says there are four quarantine facilities in Nadi and four in the greater Suva area.

He says due to the increase in COVID cases in the Central Division from the Suva to Nausori corridor a number of hotels have been designated as quarantine facilities with 151 occupants and some are Health Ministry staff who are working in bubbles.

Doctor Waqainabete says there was a competitive expression of interest that was put out where these hotels were chosen.

He says assessments were done and training of infection control is provided for hotel staff and the facility management.

The Health Minister says they are also briefed about the protocols and procedures together with the disciplined forces who are working with them to ensure the safety and security of the occupants.

Doctor Waqainabete says all occupants are monitored daily for a period of 14 days and are also swabbed.

He says the quarantine facilities are places where they bring people from areas that may have diseases and they put them in quarantine for a particular time that is stipulated according to the incubation period of a particular disease.

Doctor Waqainabete says isolation facilities are where they have those that are sick and looked after in hospitals and community isolation.

Meanwhile Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says government is taking care of all the unanticipated expenditure, and they have just approved $4-$5 million yesterday to pay hotels for accommodation cost.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the nurse who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the CWM Hospital is staying at Holiday Inn and other personnel are staying at other different hotels and people have also been brought from their homes and put in hotels.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they did not have any COVID-19 case when the National Budget was developed last year.