COVID-19: Over 100 Remain Confined In Nabua Community

A little over 100 people from 28 homes remain confined in the Muslim League Estate in Nabua as this COVID-19 hotspot remains in lockdown.

Suva’s confinement was lifted Friday morning. However, the home of patients six and seven; and the surrounding homes have been declared a red-zone and will undergo further 14-day confinement.

This is a precautionary measure necessitated by the positive testing result of patient 17 who had been asymptomatic even after a 14 days in quarantine.

No other people in the area have tested positive for COVID-19.

Waisea Ratuleka and his family fall within the boundary of the confinement.

“I work for a civil engineering contractor who has been working at RB Patel Harbourpoint. I have already missed 14 days of work,” he said.

“While we are being given food supplies, there are other things such as gas and kerosene.”

Kalavati Yabaki works for China Railway. Originally from Wainibuka, he stays in Nabua when he comes to work, returning to the village on the weekend to his wife and infant child.

“I have not been to work and although I have told my employers, I am not sure if I am getting paid. My employers have not said if I have work when all of this is over,” he said.

Mr Yabaki’s concern is not being able to see his family.

Nitin Lal, a storeman at the Fiji Elections Office, does not know if he has been paid or not. He said things had been tough.

“The banks and other things we cannot check, so that is worrying.”

Asaeli Joji said he had applied for help from the Fiji National Provident Fund but had no way of checking and getting access to funds.

The Government is providing food rations to the affected families.

A few donors including employers of people in the confined area have been bringing food.

The Ministry of Health teams are visiting these families on a daily basis as well.

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