MHMS FIJI
MHMS FIJI

Category Public Advisory

COVID-19 Update – 31-07-2021
Media Release
COVID-19 Daily Update
Saturday, 31st July 2021
Transmission Update
We have 1,121 new cases of COVID-19 to report for the 24 hour period that ended at 8am today. 241 cases are from the Western Division and 880 cases are from the Central Division. A full breakdown of areas of interest will be published online tonight on the Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard and on the Fijian Government Facebook page. You will also be able to view the approximate locations of new cases, active cases, and recovered cases on the dashboard at the following link: http://bit.ly/3vE2ZBb.
 
There have been 510 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 21,707 active cases. 18,572 active cases are in the Central Division and 3,135 in the West. All cases that were recorded in the Northern and Eastern Divisions (cases that were imported from Viti Levu) have recovered and there are no active cases currently in those divisions.
 
There have been 29,711 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 29,781 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 7,705 recoveries.
 
Deaths
We have 6 new COVID-19 deaths to report for the period of 29 July to 30th July.
 
The first COVID-19 death to report is a 79 year old man from Caubati who died at home (29/07/2021). He was not vaccinated.
 
The second COVID-19 death to report is a 65 year old woman from Nasinu. She was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the CWMH Hospital Emergency Department (29/07/2021). This means that she died at home or on her way to the hospital. She was not vaccinated.
The third COVID-19 death to report is a 58 year old man from Nausori. He presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress. A medical team retrieved him from the medical facility and brought him to CWM hospital. His condition worsened in the hospital and he died on the same day 30/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.
 
The fourth COVID-19 death to report is a 71 year old woman from Nabua who died at home on the 30/07/2021. She was not vaccinated.
 
The fifth COVID-19 death to report is a 51 year old man from Suva who died at home on the 30/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.
 
The sixth COVID-19 death to report is an 89 year old man from Tailevu. He presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress. A medical team retrieved him from the medical facility and brought him to the CWM Hospital. His condition worsened in the hospital and he died 10 days after admission (30/07/2021). He was not vaccinated.
 
There have been 7 more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients. However, their deaths have been classified as non-COVID deaths by their doctors. Doctors have determined that their deaths were caused by serious pre-existing medical conditions and not COVID-19.
 
There have now been 238 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 236 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year. The 7 day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths per day is 8. We also have recorded 130 COVID-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted COVID-19; these are not classified as COVID-19 deaths.
 
Hospitalisations
 
There are currently 294 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital. 28 patients are admitted at Lautoka hospital. In Suva, 81 patients are admitted at the FEMAT field hospital, and 185 admitted at CWM hospital, St Giles, and Makoi. 56 patients are considered to be in severe condition, and 11 are in critical condition.
 
Screening Update
 
A total of 6,289 individuals were screened and 655 swabbed at our stationary screening clinics in the last 24 hours, bringing our cumulative total to 390,489 individuals screened and 71,399 swabbed to date. As of the 30th July our mobile screening teams screened a total of 3,603 individuals and swabbed 400. This brings our cumulative total to 768,840 individuals screened and 68,012 swabbed by our mobile teams.
Testing update
 
A total of 270,052 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 312,913 tested since testing began in March 2020. 3170 tests have been reported for July 29th. Testing number data is pending for 1 laboratory for that date. Based on available data the national 7-day daily test average is 3172 tests per day or 3.6 tests per 1,000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 30.9 %.
Vaccination Update
 
As of the 30nd July 482,175 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 140,184 have received their second doses. This means that 82.2% of the target population have received at least one dose and 23.9% are now fully vaccinated nationwide.
Fijians can check the Ministry’s vaccine dashboard to find real-time data on first-dose and second-dose numbers at the national, divisional and sub-divisional levels. You can access the live dashboard at http://bit.ly/3h2JfCZ
 
Epidemic Outlook
 
The 7-day average of new cases per day is 1038 cases per day or 1173 cases per million population per day. Daily cases numbers remain high, and daily test positivity remains high, indicating ongoing widespread community transmission in the Suva-Nausori containment zone. Cases are also increasing in the West with evidence of community transmission in that division. The Northern and Eastern Divisions currently have no active cases.
 
Advice to the public
For people with COVID-19 symptoms in Suva-Nausori:
Community transmission within the Suva-Nausori containment zone is at a very high level. This means that anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 in Suva-Nausori should assume that they have COVID-19. Most people infected with COVID-19 will have mild symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, loss of taste or smell, body ache, or headache, and will fully recover at home with no medical intervention necessary. People who have any of these symptoms and are not within a group that is at higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 will no longer be tested for COVID-19, and should stay at home, strictly self-isolate for 14 days, and continue to monitor your symptoms for severe COVID-19. If you develop any signs of severe COVID-19, like difficulty breathing or chest pain, please go immediately to one of our dedicated health facilities:
– Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH)
– FEMAT Hospital, Vodafone Arena
Individuals in Nausori with severe symptoms should go to:
– Nausori Health Centre
-Wainibokasi Hospital
 
Call 165 if you are unable to travel to a medical facility.
However, if you or someone you are caring for has mild symptoms but is at high risk of severe COVID – in particular individuals over 50 years, have a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, are obese, or are pregnant – we need you to visit one of our screening clinics and get tested. If you test positive, then we will ensure you are provided immediate care by our health teams.
1.) For symptomatic workers who need official leave from work, they are recommended to attend the nearest screening clinic to be checked and to obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days of home isolation.
2.) Symptomatic workers can also obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days self-isolation at home from participating General Practitioners (GPs).
For people anywhere else in Fiji:
Please call 158 or go to your nearest screening clinic for testing if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. If you do leave your home to go to a screening clinic: please wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose, keep at least 2 metres between yourself and others outside your household, wash your hands with soap and water frequently or use hand sanitiser, and download and activate the careFIJI app if you have a smartphone, and avoid using public transport. Also call 158 if you have been in contact with someone confirmed as a case of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Update – 30-07-2021

Media Release

COVID-19 Daily Update

Friday 30th July 2021

Transmission Update

We have 1,163 new cases of COVID-19 to report for the 24 hour period that ended at 8 am today. 483 cases are from the Western Division and 680 cases are from the Central Division. A full breakdown of areas of interest will be published online tonight on the Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard and on the Fijian Government Facebook page. You will also be able to view the approximate locations of new cases, active cases, and recovered cases on the dashboard at the following link: http://bit.ly/3vE2ZBb.

There have been 244 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 21,109 active cases. 18,211 active cases are in the Central Division and 2,898 in the West. All cases that were recorded in the Northern and Eastern Divisions (cases that were imported from Viti Levu) have recovered and there are no active cases currently in those divisions.

There have been 28,590 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 28,660 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 7,195 recoveries.

Deaths

We have 6 new COVID-19 deaths to report for the period of 19 July to 29th July.

The first COVID-19 death to report is an 11-month-old infant from Delaivalelevu. He was brought to CWM Hospital where he was assessed by the paediatric specialist team to be in severe respiratory distress. He was reported by his family to have had a fever and fast breathing at home for 3 days before coming to the hospital. Sadly, his condition worsened in the hospital and he died on the same day (19/07/2021). He was not vaccinated; he was not in the target population of people 18 years and over that are eligible to receive the vaccine.

The second COVID-19 death to report is an 80-year-old woman from Lami who died at home on 29/07/2021. She was not vaccinated.

The third COVID-19 death to report is a 61-year-old man from Suva who died at home on 29/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The fourth COVID-19 death to report is a 53-year-old man from Lami who died at home on 29/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The fifth COVID-19 death to report is a 78-year-old woman from Sawani Village who died at home on 28/07/2021. Her family reported that she had generalized weakness and lethargy for one week prior. She was not vaccinated.

The sixth COVID-19 death to report is a 60-year-old man from Wainibuku. He presented to a health facility in severe respiratory distress. A medical team retrieved him from the health facility and brought him to the CWM hospital. His condition worsened at the hospital and he died one day after admission (29/07/2021). He was not vaccinated.

There have been 4 more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients. However, their deaths have been classified as non-COVID deaths by their doctors. Doctors have determined that their deaths were caused by serious pre-existing medical conditions and not COVID-19.

There have now been 233 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 231 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year. The 7 day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths per day is 9. We also have recorded 123 COVID-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted COVID-19; these are not classified as COVID-19 deaths.

Hospitalisations

There are currently 313 COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital. 34 patients are admitted to Lautoka hospital. In Suva, 88 patients are admitted at the FEMAT field hospital, and 191 were admitted at CWM hospital, St Giles, and Makoi. 53 patients are considered to be in severe condition, and 11 are in critical condition.

Screening Update

A total of 6,265 individuals were screened and 1,082 swabbed at our stationary screening clinics in the last 24 hours, bringing our cumulative total to 384,200 individuals screened and 70,744 swabbed to date. As of the 29th of July our mobile screening teams screened a total of 5,975 individuals and swabbed 223. This brings our cumulative total to 765,237 individuals screened and 67,612 swabbed by our mobile teams.

Testing update

A total of 266,882 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 309,743 tested since testing began in March 2020. 3451 tests have been reported for July 28th. Based on available data the national 7-day daily test average is 3247 tests per day or 3.7 tests per 1,000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 27.5%.

Vaccination Update

As of 29th July, 473,716 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 131,979 have received their second doses. This means that 81% of the target population have received at least one dose and 22.5% are now fully vaccinated nationwide.

Fijians can check the Ministry’s vaccine dashboard to find real-time data on first-dose and second-dose numbers at the national, divisional and sub-divisional levels. You can access the live dashboard at http://bit.ly/3h2JfCZ

Epidemic Outlook

The 7-day average of new cases per day is 976 cases per day or 1103 cases per million population per day. Daily cases numbers remain high, and daily test positivity remains high, indicating ongoing widespread community transmission in the Suva-Nausori containment zone. Cases are also increasing in the West with evidence of community transmission in that division. The Northern and Eastern Divisions currently have no active cases.

Advice to the public

For people with COVID-19 symptoms in Suva-Nausori:

Community transmission within the Suva-Nausori containment zone is at a very high level. This means that anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 in Suva-Nausori should assume that they have COVID-19. Most people infected with COVID-19 will have mild symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, loss of taste or smell, body ache, or headache, and will fully recover at home with no medical intervention necessary. People who have any of these symptoms and are not within a group that is at higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 will no longer be tested for COVID-19 and should stay at home, strictly self-isolate for 14 days, and continue to monitor their symptoms for severe COVID-19. If you develop any signs of severe COVID-19, like difficulty breathing or chest pain, please go immediately to one of our dedicated health facilities:

– Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH)
– FEMAT Hospital, Vodafone Arena
Individuals in Nausori with severe symptoms should go to:
– Nausori Health Centre
-Wainibokasi Hospital

Call 165 if you are unable to travel to a medical facility.

However, if you or someone you are caring for has mild symptoms but is at high risk of severe COVID – in particular individuals over 50 years, have a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, are obese, or are pregnant – we need you to visit one of our screening clinics and get tested. If you test positive, then we will ensure you are provided immediate care by our health teams.

1.) For symptomatic workers who need official leave from work, they are recommended to attend the nearest screening clinic to be checked and to obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days of home isolation.

2.) Symptomatic workers can also obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days self-isolation at home from participating General Practitioners (GPs).

For people anywhere else in Fiji:

Please call 158 or go to your nearest screening clinic for testing if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. If you do leave your home to go to a screening clinic: please wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose, keep at least 2 metres between yourself and others outside your household, wash your hands with soap and water frequently or use a hand sanitiser, and download and activate the careFIJI app if you have a smartphone, and avoid using public transport. Also call 158 if you have been in contact with someone confirmed as a case of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Situation Update
Statement by the Permanent Secretary for Health & Medical Services
 
COVID-19 Situation Update
Friday 30th July 2021
 
Bula Vinaka.
 
I want to say how proud we at the Ministry are of our Sevens heroes for their incredible repeat Gold medal victory in Tokyo. For the length of the final game, the phones were quiet on our 165 emergency line for the first time in weeks. I’m sure most of us have seen the videos of our EMT workers stealing a moment of respite to cheer on our boys and celebrate their win. I know none of us will ever forget what their win meant for the nation at this time, because their success says something very powerful about the value of sacrifice.
 
What we didn’t see in the 14 minutes of action that secured us Gold was the many months of sacrifices that the team members, coaches, and staff all made to keep themselves healthy and ready to compete at their full strength. I’m not only talking about the months of travel and training that kept them away from their families –– I’m talking about their diligence to prevent themselves from contracting the virus. Many athletes in Tokyo have tested positive. Sadly, they have been unable to compete. But none of our Sevens players tested positive –– all of them were available to perform at their very best because they went to every possible length to protect themselves. They were all fully vaccinated, and they didn’t unnecessarily socialise in ways that put themselves at risk. And we’ve seen what those sacrifices led to –– the greatness of Olympic Gold.
 
That lesson applies to every Fijian as we strive for victory over this virus. If we want to get past the COVID crisis, great sacrifices will be demanded from all of us. Move only for essential and approved business needs, for groceries and medical emergencies. Otherwise stay home, protect your loved ones and maintain your covid safe measures. And please do not gather for any reason.
 
Today, our sevens heroes arrived back from Japan with their Gold medals in tow. I know we’re all excited, but I’ve been watching some of our more irresponsible celebratory gatherings with growing concern. The Fiji Police spent the hours after the match breaking up more than a few victory parties that could easily result in rampant spread of the virus. That cannot continue.
 
Though they are fully vaccinated, we are still entering our 7s team members, coaches and staff into quarantine for a set period. I wish we could afford them the proper welcome home celebration they deserve when they exit –– but we cannot afford to do so at this time. We have to scale things down for the sake of upholding our very important health protection measures.
 
As for our daily update, we have confirmed 1163 new cases over the past 24 hours and another six deaths due to the virus.
 
I’m very sad to report that among the deaths we’re reporting today was an 11-month-old infant. Severe disease and death due to COVID among infants are rare, however the doctors overseeing this baby’s care confirm that he did die because of COVID-19. And we know that once a very high level of infections are reached in the community, these rare events do occur. It is an absolute tragedy when the most vulnerable in our community, our babies, become victims of this awful disease. It is why we at the Ministry are following the science and advice of WHO very closely with regards to the vaccination of those below the age of 18, and we are making arrangements to import more vaccines once we know that they are proven to offer safe and effective protection for children against the virus. While we await these vaccines for the younger age group we also need to remind you that every time you vaccinate, you also help to protect those not eligible for vaccination – including our children.
 
Among the deaths announced this week was a second nurse who was a front-liner. This is another frontliner colleague we knew and loved and our sympathies are extended to their families and to all families who have lost a loved one. She was not vaccinated. In line with government policy, she was on leave at the time she became infected.
 
As previously announced we have set our personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution program to ensure that the large stocks we have are always readily available to all health care workers at the front-line, especially those who work in Critical Care Units and Emergency Departments. By ensuring that our Health Care workers are fully vaccinated, well trained in PPE use and are diligent in helping each other to maintain PPE discipline in the workplace, we will be able to maintain health worker numbers in all our health facilities. To date nobody has died in Fiji from COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated, we know that this is the very best protection we can provide for our colleagues.
 
Many have asked about workplace guidance to help deal with maintaining staff capacity and reducing the risk of transmission among workers as much as possible. All businesses that are open at the moment have had to put forward COVID-safe operational plans approved by MCTTT –– those measures must be enforced to the letter.
 
As a reminder to all employers, employees, and customers, the key is to minimize contact as much as possible –– and avoid concentrated gatherings entirely. We need strong workplace measures to support and have oversight in ensuring:
 
1. Regular handwashing.
2. Strict physical distancing.
3. Mask-Wearing.
4. Avoidance of contact, crowds and contained spaces.
5. Opting for small working groups in the workplace with protocols that support working from home.
6. The use of ventilation interventions in the workplace. These include opening windows; inspecting and maintaining dedicated exhaust ventilation; disabling ventilation methods that recycle indoor air; repositioning outdoor air dampers; using of fans to increase effectiveness of open windows; repositioning supply/exhaust diffusers to create directional airflow. And we’re urging businesses to employ further interventions, such as adding portable HEPA fan/filter systems and Ultraviolet germicidal technology.
 
The point is that making workplaces safer needs to be an ongoing process of making changes and actively seeking out options based on the many guidelines that are out there. It should not be a mere checkbox exercise to align businesses to MCTTT requirements. There are very strict penalties in place for businesses who violate the COVID-safe requirements that have allowed them to re-open.
 
On the use of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). Rapid Diagnostic tests are tests used to diagnose COVID-19 in a specific environment, and have the advantage of being able to produce a result very quickly (usually within 30 minutes or less), and can be done outside of traditional laboratory set ups. However, they work best when the limitations of the test are clearly understood by the user. They should not be conducted for persons with no symptoms (unless they are conducted on the person at regular intervals eg. daily) and are not to be used to clear a person from isolation. We have been telling everyone that lives in Suva-Nausori that if you have symptoms of COVID-19 you should assume you have COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days, keep watch for severe COVID-19 symptoms and immediately seek emergency medical care if they are present. However, if you are over the age of 50 or have an illness that increases your risk of developing severe COVID-19, you must come to our screening clinics to get tested and put on the appropriate care pathway where you will be monitored by our health teams. If you test positive on a rapid diagnostic test, you can assume that you have COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days. However, if you have symptoms and test negative on a rapid diagnostic test you should still assume you have COVID-19 and self-isolate for 14 days. We know that these rapid tests have a higher risk of producing a false negative result than the gold standard molecular testing, which is used by the Ministry to confirm all negative rapid tests conducted at our screening clinics.
 
As of today, 80% of all eligible adults in Fiji have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine –– that is the halfway mark in our campaign to fully-vaccinate 587,651 Fijians by the end of October. We have worked hard to get to this point just like in rugby, complacency in the second half spells a whole lot worse than taking Silver. We have to finish strong –– just like our sevens heroes –– and win our victory over this virus by vaccinating as many adults in Fiji as we possibly can. Lives depend on our success. If you’ve received one dose, come forward for dose number two. And if you are yet to be vaccinated, please do so. We have enough vaccines in-country for everyone eligible.
 
Lastly, we’re grateful to see the National Budget for the upcoming financial year pass Parliament this week. It funds the hiring of hundreds of healthcare professionals to strengthen the front-line of our containment response –– that means we can offer more COVID-related and non-COVID-related care to the public, while allowing our frontliners to share the heavy workload with colleagues, and take a break when they need it.
 
Thank you.]
COVID-19 Update – 29-07-2021

Media Release

COVID-19 Daily Update

Thursday, 29th July 2021

Transmission Update

We have 1301 new cases of COVID-19 to report for the 24 hour period that ended at 8am today. 293 cases are from the Western Division and 1008 cases are from the Central Division. A full breakdown of areas of interest will be published online tonight on the Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard and on the Fijian Government Facebook page. You will also be able to view the approximate locations of new cases, active cases, and recovered cases on the dashboard at the following link: http://bit.ly/3vE2ZBb.

There have been 245 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 20,200 active cases. 17,774 active cases are in the Central Division and 2,426 in the West. All cases that were recorded in the Northern and Eastern Divisions (cases that were imported from Viti Levu) have recovered and there are no active cases currently in those divisions.

There have been 27,427 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 27,497 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 6,951 recoveries.

Deaths

We have 9 new COVID-19 deaths to report for the period of 26 July to 27th July.

The first COVID-19 death to report is an 83 year old man from Lautoka. He presented to the Lautoka Hospital in respiratory distress. He reported having a cough and shortness of breath for five days. His condition worsened at the hospital and he died 3 days after admission (27/07/2021). He was not vaccinated.

The second COVID-19 death to report is a 72 year old woman from Samabula who died at home on the 26/07/2021. She was not vaccinated.

The third COVID-19 death to report is a 69 year old man from Valelevu. He presented to the CWM Hospital emergency department in severe respiratory distress. His condition worsened at the hospital and he died on the same day (25/07/2021). He was not vaccinated.

The fourth COVID-19 death to report is a 64 year old man from Suva who died at home on the 27/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The fifth COVID-19 death to report is a 84 year old man from Nabua who died at home on 27/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The sixth COVID-19 death to report is a 59 year old man from Nakasi who died at home on the 27/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The seventh COVID-19 death to report is a 91 year old woman from Suva who died at home on the 27/07/2021. She was not vaccinated.

The eighth COVID-19 death to report is a 68 year old woman from Wailoku who died at home on the 27/07/2021.She was not vaccinated.

The ninth COVID-19 death to report is a 75 year old man from Raiwaqa who died at home on the 26/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

There have been 15 more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients. However, their deaths have been classified as non-COVID deaths by their doctors. Doctors have determined that their deaths were caused by serious pre-existing medical conditions and not COVID-19.

There have now been 227 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 225 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year. The 7 day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths per day is 8. We also have recorded 119 COVID-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted COVID-19; these are not classified as COVID-19 deaths.

Hospitalisations

There are currently 304 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital. 29 patients are admitted at Lautoka hospital. In Suva, 77 patients are admitted at the FEMAT field hospital, and 198 admitted at CWM hospital, St Giles, and Makoi. 53 patients are considered to be in severe condition, and 16 are in critical condition.

Screening Update

A total of 6,011 individuals were screened and 956 swabbed at our stationary screening clinics in the last 24 hours, bringing our cumulative total to 377,935 individuals screened and 69,662 swabbed to date. As of the 27th July our mobile screening teams screened a total of 5,847 individuals and swabbed 550. This brings our cumulative total to 753,259 individuals screened and 66,904 swabbed by our mobile teams.

Testing update

A total of 263,109 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 305,970 tested since testing began in March 2020. 3138 tests have been reported for July 27th. Testing number data for one lab is pending for 26th-27th July. Based on available data the national 7-day daily test average is 3302 tests per day or 3.7 tests per 1,000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 25.6 %.

Vaccination Update

As of the 28nd July 465,110 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 120,451 have received their second doses. This means that 79.3% of the target population have received at least one dose and 20.5% are now fully vaccinated nationwide.

Fijians can check the Ministry’s vaccine dashboard to find real-time data on first-dose and second-dose numbers at the national, divisional and sub-divisional levels. You can access the live dashboard at http://bit.ly/3h2JfCZ

Epidemic Outlook

The 7-day average of new cases per day is 877 cases per day or 991 cases per million population per day. Daily cases numbers remain high, and daily test positivity remains high, indicating ongoing widespread community transmission in the Suva-Nausori containment zone. Cases are also increasing in the Western Division. The Northern and Eastern Divisions currently have no active cases.

Advice to the public

For people with COVID-19 symptoms in Suva-Nausori:

Community transmission within the Suva-Nausori containment zone is at a very high level. This means that anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 in Suva-Nausori should assume that they have COVID-19. Most people infected with COVID-19 will have mild symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, loss of taste or smell, body ache, or headache, and will fully recover at home with no medical intervention necessary. People who have any of these symptoms and are not within a group that is at higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 will no longer be tested for COVID-19, and should stay at home, strictly self-isolate for 14 days, and continue to monitor your symptoms for severe COVID-19. If you develop any signs of severe COVID-19, like difficulty breathing or chest pain, please go immediately to one of our dedicated health facilities:

– Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH)
– FEMAT Hospital, Vodafone Arena

Individuals in Nausori with severe symptoms should go to:

– Nausori Health Centre
-Wainibokasi Hospital

Call 165 if you are unable to travel to a medical facility.

However, if you or someone you are caring for has mild symptoms but is at high risk of severe COVID – in particular individuals over 50 years, have a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, are obese, or are pregnant – we need you to visit one of our screening clinics and get tested. If you test positive, then we will ensure you are provided immediate care by our health teams.

1.) For symptomatic workers who need official leave from work, they are recommended to attend the nearest screening clinic to be checked and to obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days of home isolation.

2.) Symptomatic workers can also obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days self-isolation at home from participating General Practitioners (GPs).

For people anywhere else in Fiji:

Please call 158 or go to your nearest screening clinic for testing if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. If you do leave your home to go to a screening clinic: please wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose, keep at least 2 metres between yourself and others outside your household, wash your hands with soap and water frequently or use hand sanitiser, and download and activate the CareFiji app if you have a smartphone, and avoid using public transport. Also call 158 if you have been in contact with someone confirmed as a case of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Update – 28-07-2021

Media Release

COVID-19 Daily Update

Wednesday, 28th July 2021

Transmission Update

We have 1057 new cases of COVID-19 to report for the 24 hour period that ended at 8am today. 144 cases are from the Western Division and 913 cases are from the Central Division. A full breakdown of areas of interest will be published online tonight on the Ministry’s COVID-19 dashboard and on the Fijian Government Facebook page. You will also be able to view the approximate locations of new cases, active cases, and recovered cases on the dashboard at the following link: http://bit.ly/3vE2ZBb.

There have been 387 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 19,168 active cases. 16,272 active cases are in the Central Division and 2,896 in the West. All cases that were recorded in the Northern and Eastern Divisions (cases that were imported from Viti Levu) have recovered and there are no active cases currently in those divisions.

There have been 26,126 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 26,196 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 6,706 recoveries.

Deaths

We have 12 new COVID-19 deaths to report for the period of 24th July to 27th July.

The first COVID-19 death to report is a 44 year old woman from Drasa. She was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the Lautoka Hospital emergency department (24/07/2021). This means that she died at home or on her way to the hospital. She was not vaccinated.

The second COVID-19 death to report is a 73 year old woman from Lovu. She was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the Lautoka Hospital emergency department (26/07/2021). This means that she died at home or on her way to the hospital. She was not vaccinated.

The third COVID-19 death to report is a 52 year old woman from Lami who died at home on 27/07/2021. She was not vaccinated.

The fourth COVID-19 death to report is a 61 year old man from Raiwai who died at home on 27/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The fifth COVID-19 death to report is a 69 year old man from Naitasiri who died at home on 26/07/2021. He was not vaccinated.

The sixth COVID-19 death is a 75 year old man from Togalevu. He presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress.  A medical team retrieved him from the medical facility to the CWM Hospital. His condition worsened at the hospital and he died 4 days after admission (27/07/2021). He received the 1st dose of the vaccine in early July. He did not receive the second dose of the vaccine. This means that he was not fully vaccinated.

The seventh COVID-19 death is an 83 year old man from Nadawa. He presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.  His condition worsened at the hospital and he died 6 days after admission (25/07/2021). He received the 1st dose of the vaccine in early June. He did not receive the second dose of the vaccine. This means that he was not fully vaccinated.

The eighth COVID-19 death is a 74 year old woman from Narere. She presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.  Her condition worsened at the hospital and she died 8 days after admission (26/07/2021). She was not vaccinated.

The ninth COVID-19 death is an 87 year old man from Tacirua Village. He presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.  His condition worsened at the hospital and he died 8 days after admission (28/07/2021). He was not vaccinated.

The tenth COVID-19 death is a 61 year old woman from Samabula. She presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.  Her condition worsened at the hospital and she died 8 days after admission (27/07/2021). She was not vaccinated.

The eleventh COVID-19 death is a 51 year old man from Samabula. He presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.  His condition worsened at the hospital and he died 7 days after admission (27/07/2021). He received the 1st dose of the vaccine in early July. He did not receive the second dose of the vaccine. This means that he was not fully vaccinated.

The twelfth COVID-19 death is a 70 year old woman from Tamavua. A medical team retrieved her from the home and brought her to CWM Hospital. She was noted to be in severe respiratory distress. Her condition worsened at the CWM hospital and she died 3 days after admission (27/07/2021). Her family reported that she had a cough and shortness of breath 2 days prior. She received the 1st dose of the vaccine in late May. She did not receive the second dose of the vaccine. This means that she was not fully vaccinated.

There have been 2 more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients. However, their deaths have been classified as non-COVID deaths by their doctors. Doctors have determined that their deaths were caused by a serious pre-existing medical condition and not COVID-19.

There have now been 218 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 216 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year. The 7 day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths per day is 8.  We also have recorded 104 COVID-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted COVID-19; these are not classified as COVID-19 deaths.

Screening Update

A total of 6,188 individuals were screened and 1,120 swabbed at our stationary screening clinics in the last 24 hours, bringing our cumulative total to 371,924 individuals screened and 68,706 swabbed to date. As of the 26th July our mobile screening teams screened a total of 5,847 individuals and swabbed 550. This brings our cumulative total to 753,259 individuals screened and 66,904 swabbed by our mobile teams.

Testing update

A total of 259,971 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 302,832 tested since testing began in March 2020. 3195 tests have been reported for Monday July 26th. The national 7-day daily test average is 3341 tests per day or 3.8 tests per 1,000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 25.4 %.

Vaccination Update

As of the 27nd July 457,752 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 111,541 have received their second doses. This means that 78% of the target population have received at least one dose and 19% are now fully vaccinated nationwide.

Fijians can check the Ministry’s vaccine dashboard to find real-time data on first-dose and second-dose numbers at the national, divisional and sub-divisional levels. You can access the live dashboard at http://bit.ly/3h2JfCZ

Epidemic Outlook

The 7-day average of new cases per day is 822 cases per day or 929 cases per million population per day. Daily cases numbers remain high, and daily test positivity remains high, indicating ongoing widespread community transmission in the Suva-Nausori containment zone. Cases are also increasing in the Western Division. The Northern and Eastern Divisions currently have no active cases.

Advice to the public

For people with COVID-19 symptoms in Suva – Nausori:

Community transmission within the Suva – Nausori containment zone is at a very high level. This means that anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 in Suva – Nausori should assume that they have COVID-19. Most people infected with COVID-19 will have mild symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever, loss of taste or smell, body ache, or headache, and will fully recover at home with no medical intervention necessary. People who have any of these symptoms and are not within a group that is at higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 will no longer be tested for COVID-19, and should stay at home, strictly self-isolate for 14 days, and continue to monitor your symptoms for severe COVID-19. If you develop any signs of severe COVID-19, like difficulty breathing or chest pain, please go immediately to one of our dedicated health facilities:

– Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH)

– FEMAT Hospital, Vodafone Arena

Individuals in Nausori with severe symptoms should go to:

– Nausori Health Centre

-Wainibokasi Hospital

Call 165 if you are unable to travel to a medical facility. 

However, if you or someone you are caring for has mild symptoms but is at high risk of severe COVID – in particular individuals over 50 years, have a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, are obese, or are pregnant – we need you to visit one of our screening clinics and get tested. If you test positive, then we will ensure you are provided immediate care by our health teams.

1.) For symptomatic workers who need official leave from work, they are recommended to attend the nearest screening clinic to be checked and to obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days of home isolation.

2.) Symptomatic workers can also obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days self-isolation at home from participating General Practitioners (GPs).