STATEMENT FROM THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES DR. JAMES FONG - 23.05.21

Ministry of Health COVID Statement 23 May 2021
 
Transmission Update
We have recorded 18 new cases since our last update yesterday evening.
 
10 cases are from 2 related families in Waila
4 cases are from a household in Tacirua
2 cases from a household in Muanikoso
 
We are early in the investigations into these new cases and currently no link has been established with other cases.
 
Of the remaining 2 cases, 1 is a contact of the Samabula cluster, and the 2nd is an Extra Supermarket worker who tested positive on their final swab in quarantine.
 
In addition to an expanded Muanikoso screening zone, we have established screening zones in Samabula, Waila and Tacirua, where we are now conducting intensive screening and testing. These latest cases involve a number of people who visited well-known shops, grocery stores and other commercial facilities in the area, which will make contact tracing and data we can gain from the careFIJI app very important. Please be sure to have the app installed and running on your phone, with Bluetooth turned on.
 
A number of recent cases acknowledged that they did not observe proper physical distancing as they moved about the community, and attended social events such as grog parties. Therefore, we repeat the advice that we have given repeatedly--and that health authorities worldwide have given repeatedly for more than the past year--to wear masks, wash hands frequently, observe physical distancing always, and avoid crowds. And please do not attend social events, and do not invite people in from outside your household. It is also very important to maintain discipline at work by staying within your bubbles if your workplace has them and by keeping your masks firmly in place. Don’t let your guard down, set an example in your community, and encourage family, neighbours and people you meet to observe these common-sense practices. This is very serious.
 
We will now be making it mandatory to wear a mask or face covering if you live in a containment area and are outside your home.
 
There has been 1 recovery, which means we now have 86 active cases in Fiji, with 224 cases recorded in total since our first case in March 2020. All active cases are stable. Transmission is concentrated in the Central Division at this time, in the Suva-Nausori Containment Area, and that is where we are focusing our attention, personnel and resources.
 
Vaccination Update
We will conduct vaccinations all next week beginning Monday throughout the Central Division for all persons 18 and older who have not yet received their first dose. We have arranged for vaccination centers at well-known fixed locations and will also deploy mobile vaccination teams in some areas. Vaccination sites and times and any special information will be published every day on the Fijian Government Facebook page.
 
Lautoka hospital has completed 18 days of isolation so far and is undertaking the 4th round of testing for staff and patients. They also plan to complete the 2nd dose of vaccination for all staff sequestered in the hospital by next week.