The two Fijians, who had tested positive to the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus are in a stable condition at their quarantine facility.

This was the reassurance given by the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr James Fong yesterday.

Dr Fong said the duo, who were also fully vaccinated, were still being monitored closely by health officials, but had remained well for the past couple of days.

He also said preliminary evidence showed that the new variant infected people who were fully vaccinated, however, fully vaccinated cases had been generally mild or with no symptoms.

Containing Omicron at borders

Dr Fong could not give any assurance on whether they would be able to contain the Omicron variant at the borders. He said cases that tested positive arrived in Fiji on the same day Omicron was announced internationally.

“In fact many countries had the virus in the community well before this announcement and the announcement only made them look for it,” he said.

“Measures we have in place will only help to delay its entry. As per public advice on December 6 if a variant is transmissible enough, stringent border and community measures will only delay the inevitable entry and spread of current and future variants of the COVID-19 virus, especially as the Omicron variant is also spreading into some of our travel partner countries.”

He also clarified that there was no delay in the announcement of the test results of the new variant.

“The case was noted on a day four test; the result was sent to our partner laboratory three days later once transport logistics was arranged and we received the result on Sunday, December 5, which I released on Monday, December 6,” he said.