By rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission.
‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga
Fiji is preparing for another Covid-19 surge after the country’s push for tourism partnerships with China and appearance of a new variant.
Early this month, Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka said the country would boost marketing efforts with China after his call with chargé d’affaires and Political Counselor, Wang Xuguang.
With the country’s recent detection of the XBB.1.5 variant of Covid-19 – nicknamed The Kraken – and China’s loosening of its Covid-related border restrictions, Fijian authorities are ramping up their detection methods.
A Ministry of Health official said Fiji would start to distinguish between the different variants of Covid-19 using genomic sequencing.
“No we haven’t separated them yet. We’ve been able to do genomic sequencing fairly recently and we are testing that now.
“Which means that anyone, any person of interest who develops symptoms, if they do test positive we will definitely do genomic sequencing here now that we can do it locally.”
The official said Fiji does not require proof of a negative test for now, as authorities are hoping border restrictions in other countries will offer a layer of protection.
“Because we don’t have any direct flights from China and we know that other countries are demanding testing before they arrive to their country.
“So it means they get tested before they reach Fiji. At least that’s a layer or filter for us. But Fiji is not demanding a negative test.”
While there are currently no direct flights from China to Fiji, tourists can come via Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
Fiji’s border is open to fully-vaccinated travellers only.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
‘Oku tu’u mateuteu ‘a Fiji ia ki ha toe fetaulaki fefeka mo e Kōviti – 19 hili ia ha teke ‘a e fonua ke fai ha fengāue’aki fakatakimamata mo Siaina pea mo e toe ‘asi mai ko ia ‘a e kalasi vailasi fo’ou.
Na’e pehē ‘e he minisitā ki he Takimamata ‘a Fisi, Gavoka ‘e hiki’i ‘a e ivi ngāue fakamāketi mo Siaina ‘i he ‘osi ko ia ‘ene talanoa mo e Konisela Fale’i fakapolitikale ko Wang Xuguang.
Mei hono ‘ilo’i ko ia ‘i he fonua ‘a e kalasi vailasi fo’ou ko ia ‘O E kŌVITI – 19 ko e XBB.1.5, ‘o ui fakatenetene ‘aki ‘a e Kraken pe ko e fu’u tēvolo tahi – pea ‘oku fakangalokuloku ai ‘e Siaina ‘ene fakataputapui ko ia ‘o e Kōvioti ke taki taha nofo ma’u ‘i hono feitu’u, kuo filio’i ai ‘e he kau ma’u mafai ‘o Fisi ‘enau founga siofi ke ‘ilo ha me’a ‘oku puli.
Na’e pehē ‘e ha ‘ōfisa mei he Potungāue Mo’ui ‘e kamata ‘e Fisi ‘a hono fakafaikehekehe’i ‘o e kalasi kehekehe ‘o e vailasi Kōviti – 19 ‘o ngāue’aki ‘a hono fakakalasi ko ia ‘o e ‘ulungaanga pe tō’onga mo’ui ‘a e vailasi.
” ‘Oku te’eki ke mau fakamavahevahe’i kinautolu ‘i he taimi ni. ‘Oku malava pe eni ke mau fakakalasi lelei kinautolu pea ‘oku mau lolotonga sivi’i ia ‘i he taimi ni.
‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘eni, ko ha taha, ha fa’ahinga taha pē ‘oku ngalingali ke ke ‘asi mei ai ‘a e ngaahi faka’ilonga, pea kapau ‘e sivi’i kinautolu ‘oku nau puke pea kuo pau ke mau fakahoko ‘a hono sivi’i pē ‘i heni, fakalotofonua pē, ke ‘ilo ‘a e fa’ahinga kalasi vailasi ko ia.”
Pehē ‘e he ‘ōfisa ‘oku ‘ikai toe fiema’u ‘e Fisi ia he taimi ni ha toe sivi ke fqkamo’oni’i pe ‘oku hao, he ‘oku ‘amanaki ‘a e kau ma’u mafai ‘e fai ‘e he fakangatangata ‘o e fe’alu’aki ‘a e ngaahi fonua ha konga ‘e taha ‘o e malu’i.
” ‘I he ‘uhinga ko ia ‘oku ‘ikai fai ha’amau fepuna’aki hangatonu mo Siaina pea ‘oku mau ‘ilo ‘oku tu’utu’uni ‘e he ngaahi fonua ha sivi kimu’a pea nau toki tū’uta ange ki honau fonua.
‘Oku ‘uhinga leva ia ‘oku sivi’i kinautolu ia kimu’a pea nau toki a’u mai ki Fisi. Ko e malu’i ia pe sivi’anga ma’a kimautolu. Ka ‘oku ‘ikai ke toe tu’utu’unia ‘e Fisi ia ha sivi ke fakapapau’i pe ‘oku hao.”
Lolotongako ‘eni ‘o e ‘ikai ha fepuna’aki hangatonu mei Siaina ki Fisi, ‘e malava ke ha’u e kau folau ‘eve’eva ia ‘o fou mai ‘i ‘Aositelēlia, Nu’usila, Singapoa, Hongi Kongo mo Los Angeles.
‘Oku ‘atā kakato ‘a e kau’āfonua ia ‘o Fiji ki he kau folau ‘eve’eva kuo nau ‘osi huhu malu’i kakato.
