The Court in Nauru has ordered five Fijian nurses to be detained for 14 days for breaching security and distancing rules over the weekend.
President Lionel Aingimea confirmed the incident involving the nurses at the Meneñ Hotel quarantine residence during his weekly update.
The three nurses were part of a group of people who were repatriated from Fiji last Friday.
A day after arriving in quarantine, two nurses who were already on island visited three of their colleagues in quarantine.
They met at the back of the quarantine facility where it is single fenced and made contact through the fencing.
All five nurses were subsequently taken by police to the Remand Centre and have been ordered by the Court to be detained for 14 days.
President Aingimea said rules are there to protect everyone in residence as well as those in the community from the possible threat and spread of coronavirus in Nauru.
While the situation in Nauru and the region looks to be under control, the President said there is still a risk with people arriving into Nauru and therefore we must not be complacent and be foolish in our actions that might harm the community.
The National Disaster Risk Management Regulations provided penalties for the security firm for failing to do its job to protect the perimeter from breaches, as well as penalties for individuals breaching security and other rules at the residences and Remand Centre.
Every resident in quarantine is briefed and fully informed of the rules, individual responsibilities and penalties.
Visiting hours at all quarantine residences are from 8am to 8pm daily, and a double-fenced area is allocated for all visitors.
Security posts are positioned at the front entrances for visitors to enquire and bring food and other items to family and friends in quarantine.
Nauru remains COVID-19 free.
Photo file Nauru News Caption: Nauru Police Station