Fiji has recorded one case of Covid-19 in the north of the country as infections and deaths continue to rise, the government said.
Vanua Levu, the country's second largest island, had been covid-free since the latest outbreak began in April.
Infections were only reported in the central and western divisions.
Residents look on as police check people are wearing face masks in Suva. Photo: AFP or licensors
The government also announced 314 new cases and eight deaths for the last 24 hours to 8am on Saturday.
That compares with 398 cases and five deaths in the previous 24-hour period.
According to the health ministry, the case from the Northern Division worked at the Nabouwalu Wharf in Bua Province.
Health Secretary Doctor James Fong said they are trying to determine how this person contracted the virus.
"However, it appears the exposure to the virus happened onboard a ship unloading cargo from Suva earlier this week. This person tested positive during routine swabbing of wharf workers yesterday.
"The positive person has been securely moved to the Malau isolation facility and household members have been quarantined. So far, the person's household members have tested negative for the virus.
"With the help of the careFiji app, the Ministry's Covid-19 response team in the Northern Division have identified other primary contacts, including workplace contacts, and they have been quarantined with test results pending.
Dr Fong said contact-tracing teams are tracking those who may have come into contact with the patient during the infectious period.
He assured the people in the north that the "ministry is working very closely with other local agencies and communities to prevent any further spread of the virus."
"Decisions will be made about any further measures that may be required to quickly halt transmission."
Rotuma is located about 650 kilometres northwest of Fiji's capital Suva. Photo: Supplied
Rotuma halts shipping services
Meanwhile, chiefs on Rotuma have agreed to halt any cargo or freight services to the island from Suva following the rise in Covid cases on the main islands.
Rotuma is about 650 kilometres north of Suva with fewer than 2000 residents.
Goundar Shipping Limited, which manages the inter-island services to Rotuma, said the islanders had opted to protect themselves from any possible threat of Covid-19.
Goundar said they would resume services to Rotuma once given the green light by the council of chiefs.
The islanders have resorted to current supplies and fresh harvests for the next couple of weeks.
Goundar said the ministry is using one of its vessels to isolate Covid-positive patients.
The ministry said of the latest cases, 259 are from the Western Division, 54 from the Central Division and one case from the Northern Division.
All the latest eight deaths occurred between 11-14 August.
There have been 987 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 23,598 active cases - 17,269 of them are in the Central Division, 6328 in the West and one active case in the North.
There are over 23,598 active cases in isolation and 368 deaths, with 366 of them from this latest outbreak that began in April.
Police on patrol as they enforce face mask protocols in Fiji's capital Suva, amid a worsening outbreak of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in the Pacific nation. Photo: AFP or licensors
