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Solomon Islands students assist victims of TC Harold

Students and officials head to families affected by TC Harold at Naikorokoro Settlement in Lami. Picture: SUPPLIED By BEN BILUA Solomon Islands students studying at various universities in Fiji braved the rain on Saturday to donate food, clothing as well as cash to 18 families who were badly affected by Tropical Cyclone Harold. President of Solomon Islands Students Association (SISA), Peter Maclean, and Solomon Islands Education Attaché to Fiji, Francis Tavava, led the relief distribution program with the help of an officer from the Fiji National Disaster Management Office. A family at Nakasi thanked SISA president Peter Maclean for the…

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Three recover from COVID-19, PM urges adherence to restrictions

Health checks have commenced around the country in an effort to combat COVID-19. Picture: Fijian Government FB Page By JOSEFA BABITU As Fiji continues to battle the novel coronavirus outbreak, good news emerged yesterday as three Fijians who contracted the virus have fully recovered, according to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. The PM confirmed this after two tests were conducted by the health ministry. “These Fijians have tested negative for the virus twice, with over 24 hours in between tests,” he said during a press conference in Suva. “We should celebrate these recoveries. But we should do so knowing Fiji’s recovery…

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‘Humanitarian pathway’ vital response to COVID-19 pandemic

Ministry of Health teams are working with the military and police, conducting house to house checks in the Suva containment area. Picture: Fijian Government FB page By JOSEFA BABITU Leaders of Pacific Islands Forum have agreed to establish a ‘humanitarian pathway’ to respond to the novel coronavirus pandemic. This comes after the leaders invoked the Biketawa Declaration that will enable the provision of medical and humanitarian assistance from regional, international and development partners in a timely, safe, effective and equitable manner. In a recent statement, Pacific Islands Forum chairman and Prime Minister of Tuvalu Kausea Natano said COVID-19 posed a…

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Additional lockdowns in Northern Division after COVID-19 case takes total to 17

PM Voreqe Bainimarama says contact tracing teams will widen their testing to all close contacts of the 17 confirmed cases. Picture: Fijian Government FB page By WANSOLWARA STAFF A 21-year-old man on Vanua Levu has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), taking the total number of cases Fiji to 17. And according to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, the man was a relative and travelling companion of case nine. He said they travelled together from India to Singapore and on to Fiji. The latest positive test follows on from last week’s confirmed case of the nine-year-old granddaughter of case nine.…

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Desperate times unleash digital creativity, flexibility for j-schools

Picture: pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-ibapa By Sri Krishnamurthi, contributing editor of Pacific Media Watch Desperate times call for desperate measures and so it is with journalism schools throughout the Pacific with each of them trying new and innovative methods in the age of Covid-19 coronavirus. Faced with the global pandemic, they are following an overarching dictum, safety of students first and then looking at ways of teaching them – albeit remotely. Without a doubt The Junction, a collaborative university student journalism publication covering Australia, NZ and the Pacific, is a highly creative and enterprising website – and it’s ahead of the game. It cut its…

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Weather office issues hurricane warning

Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold is expected to hit Fiji this week after causing mass damage in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. People wade through flooded areas in Vanuatu (pictured) on Monday. Picture: Harrison Selmen in Vanuatu/Wansolwara By WANSOLWARA STAFF A hurricane warning remains in force for southern parts of Viti Levu, Beqa, Vatulele, Kadavu, Matuku, Vatoa and Ono-i-Lau as Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold continues to batter its way through the region. According to the Fiji Meteorological Service weather bulletin this morning, heavy rain and strong wind warnings are expected for the Fiji Group with flash floods expected in low-lying areas…

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New COVID-19 case takes tally to 15

Police officers on standby at checkpoints around the country. Picture: Fijian Government Facebook Page By WANSOLWARA STAFF Fiji now has 15 corona virus cases after a single new case was confirmed by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama yesterday. The new case was one of 25 samples that were tested at the molecular lab and is the husband of an existing patient from Lautoka – the Zumba classmate of patient number one. Mr Bainimarama said this was a case they had expected for some time, adding the 33-year-old man did not develop any symptoms until after he was safely in isolation and…

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STC Harold wreaks havoc

The projected threat path for Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold released by the Fiji Meteorological Service, released at 7.57pm last night. Picture: met.gov.fj By GERALDINE PANPASA Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold has intensified into a category five cyclone, making landfall in Vanuatu yesterday and posing a risk to Fiji if it continues on its projected path. And according to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Fiji can expect heavy rains and flooding from Severe Tropical Harold from today. “(This means) floodwaters and road closures will likely add a new layer of complexity to our containment efforts,” he said referring to the corona virus (COVID-19)…

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Lautoka lockdown to ease, COVID-19 cases reach 14

Residents in Lautoka can expect relaxed border restrictions soon as Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama confirmed Fiji's 14th corona virus case yesterday. Picture: Fijian Government Facebook Page By BRIAN LEZUTUNI The city of Lautoka is expected to come out of an 18-day lockdown as Fiji’s corona virus (COVID-19) cases rose to 14 overnight. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama yesterday announced the relaxation to border restrictions within the greater Lautoka area, however, adding that a possible case being tested within the city overnight could result in a newly confined area demarcated within the Sugar City. The two new cases include patient 13, the…

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Five more test positive for COVID-19, Fiji cases reach 12

Health checks at the Nadi International Airport. Picture: Fijian Government Facebook Page By JOSEFA BABITU Fiji now has 12 cases of the novel coronavirus after Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama confirmed this afternoon that five more people had tested positive. The announcement came two days after a couple in a Nabua settlement contracted COVID-19, leading authorities to put some areas in the Capital City on lock down. Mr Bainimarama said there was a strong suspicion that the couple contracted the virus from the father of the gentleman (case number seven), who stayed with them with several days after returning from India…

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