Coronavirus

The country's second biggest city of Lautoka - where the first case was reported - has been in lockdown since 20 March.

However Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the risk of transmission in the latest Suva case was low and tracing teams were tracking down everyone who was in contact with the patient.

He said the man adhered to all the health advice offered and took the necessary precautions to isolate himself at home upon his arrival from abroad.

Mr Bainimarama took the opportunity to underline the importance of isolation.

The ban issued by the economics minister Teva Rohfritsch will be in force until April the 5th and follows a weekend of incidents in which people ignored limits on private and public gatherings.

Earlier, president Edouard Fritch said alcohol consumption had posed enormous problems.

Reports say orders to stay home have been widely ignored, prompting warnings that a curfew might be imposed.

23 people have tested positive to the virus in the territory.

Public health officials said the death of the Lancaster, Los Angeles, child is "a devastating reminder that COVID-19 infects people of all ages."

LA County health officials wrote in a press release on Tuesday that the minor was one of three new deaths.

The officials said: "One of the individuals was a youth under the age of 18."

Dr Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Public Health Director, said: "Each loss we experience in LA County is tragic, and we are sending our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones who've had to endure this tragedy.

Few details have been released but a government spokesperson said the last three cases related to either people who had arrived in the territory or had been in contact with people confirmed to have carried the virus.

More than 1000 people have been in isolation in hotels, but some of them have been allowed to leave under strict conditions.

Restrictions on movements have been in force in the French territory since Monday midnight.

The Ministry of Health has been in contact with other passengers over their whereabouts and health since the flights on 16 and 17 of March, between San Francisco and Nadi, and Nadi and Auckland.

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said Fiji Airways had published a list of the passengers required to contact the authorities immediately.

Mr Bainimarama called for the public to help track down the passengers.

"Our contained efforts depend on each of these individuals making contact with the Ministry of Health.

An update was given by president Edouard Fritch, who told the public broadcaster that among the five is education minister Christelle Lehartel.

She has been in isolation for a week.

Mr Fritch also warned that a curfew may be declared because too many people flout the restrictions put in place at the weekend in an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

There had been cases of people being out without the required attestation allowing their movement, he said.

There had also been instances of people meeting up in defiance of existing orders.

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the third case was the one-year-old nephew of Fiji's first case, whose mother was the second.

Eleven members of the first patient's household have been isolated and the third case only became symptomatic while in isolation, Mr Bainimarama said.

The first patient is flight attendant and contact tracing teams are trying to contact everyone who potentially came into contact with the them on three Fiji Airways flights.

They are: FJ 411 from Nadi to Auckland, FJ 410 Auckland to Nadi and FJ 871 from San Francisco to Nadi.

More than half are directly related to overseas travel, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.

"So these are people who have returned to New Zealand recently and have become symptomatic, been tested and confirmed as cases of Covid-19. Most of the remaining cases are close contacts of a previously confirmed case or are associated with an event where there were confirmed cases already, for example, the Hereford Cattle conference in Queenstown."

Research firm Strategy Analytics said shipments in February fell by 38% year-on-year.

The outbreak of the coronavirus in China had a huge impact, report author Linda Sui said.

"Some Asian factories were unable to manufacture smartphones, while many consumers were unable or unwilling to visit retail stores and buy new devices," she said.

The report said that smartphone shipments dropped from 99.2 million in February 2019 to 61.8 million in February 2020.

The governor, Lou Leon Guerrero, said the total on the island was now 26.

The government's joint information centre said there was now evidence of community-based spread.

Ms Leon Guerrero said at least two people who had tested positive frequented the Hafa Adai Bingo Hall in Tamuning.

She said anyone who had been there between 6 and 16 of March should self-quarantine.

Yesterday, the US territory saw the Pacific's first Covid-19 related death, a 68-year-old woman.