STATEMENT BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES DR. JAMES FONG - 06.06.21

06/06/2021


Transmission Update
We have recorded 83 new cases since our daily update yesterday. The majority of these cases are from known clusters or areas already under containment or lockdown protocols, including in Waila, CWM Hospital, IMT-HQ, IMT Warehouse, Caubati, Navy, Samabula, Shop N Save Supermarket, Nawaka Nadi, and Navosai. New clusters have been  reported in Naitasiri.

The new cases reported in Naitasiri are from the following localities:

-    2 cases from Matasinasau Village, one of whom was recently discharged from CWM and  one case who had moved to Tavua Village by the time the results were known 
-    1 case from Laselevu 
-    1 case in the Savusavu settlement; and 
-    1 case in Vuisiga Village, Vunidawa 

The Naitasiri Containment Response team have also had to stand down due to exposure to a positive case. 

One case has been confirmed in Tavua in a traveller who recently arrived from Lautoka. 

The cluster of greatest concern is at CWM Hospital where our medical teams are going to great lengths to provide critical treatment without exposing themselves and their patients to the virus. In Lautoka, we cordoned off the hospital as a COVID-care facility and deployed a field hospital to handle non-COVID care. We will be replicating the success of that model at CWM Hospital. The CWM Hospital will become a full-time COVID-care facility with tightly controlled movement into the hospital. Access to Laboratory, Maternity and Paediatric Units will be through escalated screening protocols and package decontamination protocols. A field hospital for the treatment of non-COVID patients in the vicinity of the CWM Hospital is being established in conjunction with our partners from Australia.  
In total, 11 of the 83 cases confirmed today are of unknown origin and will be classified as cases of community transmission until proven otherwise.

Testing Update
A total of 2,737 samples were tested and reported  on 5 June. The national  7 day  daily test average is 2819 tests per day or  3.2 per 1000 population. The national 7 day average daily test positivity is 1.4%. 

Vaccine Update
50,000 additional doses of AstraZeneca vaccines will be arriving into the country next week from Australia. 

We have administered 206,658 first doses and 4,599 second doses nationwide since the beginning of our vaccination effort. This week (31 May through 4 June) we administered 70,693 first doses and 482 second doses. 

Additional Updates
The high number of cases confirmed today signals a much larger proportion of cases in the community. We expect more days of high numbers of confirmed cases. We sadly expect more hospitalisations as more severe cases of the disease develop. But thanks to the massive step-up in the pace of our testing, we can continue to fight this virus in a targeted way –– a way that allows Fijians to access essential services and allows the economy to function as normally and safely as possible. Fiji is now testing at the highest rate in Oceania. We have never been more equipped than today to confront an outbreak, and we should take faith in our constantly strengthening capacity against this invisible enemy. But we know the front of this battle extends everywhere and to everyone. It will ultimately be won by all of us through the decisions we all make every day. 

We cannot wait for more record-breaking days of case numbers for all Fijians to take our health measures seriously. In the course of contact tracing investigations, it’s been found that a funeral was held recently in Mulomulo Village, Nadi with nearly 100 people in attendance. The entire community has since been locked down. That reckless gathering could potentially result in another super-spreader event. The rule is simple: Only ten people are allowed to attend a funeral. That applies before, during and after the funeral.

Remember, no social gatherings are allowed otherwise. If we don’t respect those rules, we will sadly have more of our loved ones to bury due to the loss of life that can result from COVID-19. Through our adherence to our health measures, we can prevent that from coming to pass and protect those most vulnerable in society.