He was happy to be back in Fiji and was looking forward to going home.
That’s how the son of Fiji’s first COVID-19 victim, who died at the Lautoka Hospital on Thursday night, described his father.
The son, who wished anonymity, said his father, who was 66, could have contracted the virus on a chartered plane that brought them home on July 1.
His father was a farmer in Vunivau, Labasa and had become an insurance agent at the time he went to India on February 15 for heart bypass surgery.
“He was at MIOT in Chennai with me and had undergone a successful surgery and was ready to come home when the borders closed,” said the son.
“We had to wait until July 1 to come back.”
They were among the 107 Fijians who came home on a chartered Garuda Airlines flight.
“He was very healthy while in India and took precautions not to contract the virus,” said the son.
“My suspicion is that he caught the virus while on the plane. The son said they had to pay $4500 each to come home on the chartered flight that was organised by Fiji’s High Commission in New Delhi.
“We had to stop at three places. Despite this long flight, my dad was fine because he knew he was going home.”
He said all family members and relatives in Fiji and abroad had been informed of the tragedy.
“It’s a loss to the family and we are now awaiting word on how we can accord final rites to our father.”
The 37-year-old son is also currently in quarantine.
