Four police officers and two hotel staffs are in quarantine for breaching the COVID-19 restrictions.

The COVID -19 Spokesperson, Len Tarivonda has confirmed.

Mr Tarivonda says the police officers breached the COVID-19 restriction by taking pictures together with the repatriated nationals from Solomon Islands while the nationals were in quarantine.

He says the photo went viral on social media.

“The incident happened recently and the National Disaster Management Office has ordered for all to be quarantined,” said Mr Tarivonda.

“It is wrong to come into contact with someone currently in quarantine.”

Mr Tarivonda says the four police officers and the two hotel staffs will only be quarantine for some days not the whole 14 days of quarantine.

“Medically speaking the seven nationals coming from Solomon Islands are in good health, they are not showing any signs of flu like symptoms or coronavirus,” he said.

“Currently Vanuatu is in a State of Emergency, any person breaching any COVID-19 restrictions will face the consequences.”

The Spokesperson of the COVID-19 says a breakfast ceremony will take place tomorrow morning to hand over passports and acknowledge the repatriated nationals who have been through the 14 days quarantine.

He says health officials with representatives from the National Disaster Management Office will attend the ceremony.

“I am appealing to all Ni-Vanuatu nationals, foreign diplomats currently in quarantine and those working in the quarantine facilities to respect all COVID restrictions placed by the Vanuatu government.