COVID-19 Update 11-02-2022
Last Updated on 1 year by Publishing Team
COVID-19 Situation Update
Friday 11th February
Public Advisory:
Vaccination
We have noted how difficult it is to increase our vaccination coverage for the last 8% of our adult population, despite the increased risk of severe outcomes in this group. While we will continue to do our part to promote and deploy vaccines, we need community support to sustain the impact of our efforts especially to the vulnerable within this 10%. It is a grave concern that we continue to receive requests for vaccine exemption from persons with medical comorbidities, especially NCDs; their medical condition is an indication for vaccination, and granting the exemption is not an option for any qualified medical person.
During this third wave, unvaccinated deaths in the vaccine-eligible population are occurring at 17 times the rate of vaccinated deaths. This strongly indicates that many of the unvaccinated deaths in the vaccine-eligible population were preventable. I strongly urge anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated to get vaccinated now because COVID-19 is here to stay, and Omicron will not be the last variant. And if you are vaccinated, but know someone who isn’t, please also encourage them to protect themselves by getting vaccinated.
The booster dose program began at the end of November 2021.As of February 11th, 88,816 individuals have so far received booster doses of the Moderna and 35 individuals have received the Pfizer booster COVID-19 vaccine. For the month of February, a further 175,558 have become eligible for booster doses. We are targeting to cover all these eligible individuals in the days ahead. Please come forward to get your booster (3rd dose) vaccine if you are aged 18 or over and it has been at least 5 months since your second dose.
Leptospirosis, typhoid fever, and dengue fever
With the recent heavy rains and flooding in parts of Fiji we expect that there will be an increase in these endemic climate-sensitive diseases. After the recent floods, we are starting to see more people admitted for leptospirosis to our hospitals in the Western Division and the intensive care unit at Lautoka Hospital. Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria that infects and causes illness in some animals and humans. It spreads to humans through the urine of infected animals such as cows, pigs, rats, and dogs. You may become infected if your skin is exposed to the urine of infected animals, which may happen when wading through floodwaters or in mud; and you also may get infected after consuming food or drink that has been contaminated with infected animal urine. People of any age can get leptospirosis, but most often it is found in young adults, and in some cases causes severe disease and death.
Please seek medical care if you have recently had contact with floodwaters or mud and develop the following symptoms: fever, muscle pain, headache. You may also have red eyes, loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, or feel weak. Leptospirosis can be treated with appropriate antibiotic medications prescribed by a doctor if treatment is sought early. Danger signs for severe leptospirosis include shortness of breath, coughing blood, chest pain, yellow eyes/skin (jaundice), signs of bleeding (including unexplained bruising), decreased urination, difficulty staying awake. Severe leptospirosis is life-threatening, and anyone with these symptoms must be taken to the hospital immediately.
To prevent leptospirosis please avoid wading or swimming in flooded waters, wear shoes when walking outside, and keep all food and drink covered and away from rats.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has convened the Communicable Disease Committee, which will assist the Divisional Command Centres in responding to cases of leptospirosis, typhoid, and dengue fever, including raising awareness amongst the public and providing refresher training for medical professionals in primary care for early diagnosis and treatment.