Soldiers to be isolated

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
THE first Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR) soldiers from Taurama Barracks returning from duties along the border in Western will be quarantined for 14 days, an official says.
Capt Bradley Manihia said the soldiers would be kept at an isolation facility at the barracks away from their families and quarters upon returning.
They would have their blood
samples taken for Covid-19 testing.
He said returning soldiers would be the first to use the barrack’s isolation centre.
Taurama Barracks acting commanding officer Major Louisa Wanma said other soldiers who were training or studying overseas or were currently out of the country for work would also be quarantined upon returning.
She said the barracks was on alert to attend to emergency
cases because the soldiers out on deployment at that border were at a high risk of contracting the virus.
Wanma said some soldiers who had returned from the border operation had tested negative for Covid-19 and had been released to their homes.
1RPIR commanding officer Lt Col Mark Kellerton said 117 soldiers were deployed for border operations in Western.
He said a reinforcement unit that was deployed for the Covid-19 operation would return on approval from the State of Emergency Controller David Manning.
He said the others would remain according to their normal rotational deployment.