MHMS FIJI
MHMS FIJI

Press Release

COVID-19 Update – 27-05-2021

Media Release

COVID-19 Update

Thursday May 27th 2021
Evening Update

There are 6 new positive cases to report since the afternoon update and as of 6pm today. 4 cases are primary contacts within the Muanikoso cluster, and 2 are from the Vunivivi cluster.

4 patients have recovered, which means there are now 151 active cases in isolation, with all active cases within Suva-Nausori. There have been 244 cases during this current outbreak, and Fiji has had 314 cases in total, with 159 recoveries and 4 deaths, since our first case was reported on March 19th 2020.

Over 58,000 COVID-19 laboratory tests have been conducted during this current outbreak, with 98,915 tests conducted in total since testing started in early 2020. This does not yet include the 11,000 samples recently tested in Australia.

A total of 2804 samples were tested yesterday. The daily average of testing over the last 7 days is 2567 tests per day. The 7 day average daily test positivity is at 0.7%, and  1% in the last day. An average of 2.9 tests per 1000 population were conducted daily over the last 7 days, with 3.2 tests per 1000 population in the last day.

-ENDS-

COVID-19 Situation Update
Thursday 27th May 2021

Afternoon Update

Transmission Update

We have recorded 22 new cases since the last update yesterday evening. Details of the new cases:
● 1 is a resident of Kinoya with no links to other cases at this early stage of investigation
● 2 were at the George Mate Medical Centre at Queen Elizabeth Barracks and are connected to the QEB cluster
● 7 naval officers and staff who are contacts of the first naval officer to test positive and are part of the navy cluster

● 12 are residents of Vunivivi in Nausori. They were found as part of screening of that area in connection with the navy cluster. Investigations have revealed that the navy, Waila, and Vunivivi clusters are connected through a common exposure event – a funeral.

We have recorded a total of 308 cases since March of last year with 155 recoveries and 4 deaths. There have been 238 cases during this current outbreak, and there are now 149 active cases.

Response Update

The Lautoka Hospital has ended their 21-day sequestration with almost all patients discharged today. Remaining staff will also be going home to their families by day end. The hospital is also discharging its last 2 COVID-19 patients later today, as they have recovered. With the recovery of these 2 patients there will be 0 active cases in the West, and it has also been 15 days since the last case was reported from that division.

We have received more detailed data regarding the effectiveness of our containment measures in the Northern and Western Divisions. We are reviewing our restrictions in the West and North and will be making more definitive announcements in the next few days.

It is clear that the concentration of this outbreak is now in the Suva-Nausori area. Most of the new cases in recent days were discovered through contact tracing investigations for known cases, which is an indicator that our contact tracing efforts are effective. Significant escalations in daily case numbers have been largely driven by the fact that recent cases have been linked to large households or workplace groups, funeral gatherings and the associated grog sessions in big groups. We are getting test results quickly, so we can take proper action soon after identifying someone who may have been in close contact with an infected person.

We urge people to keep that in mind and do what they can to help: Make sure the careFIJI app is active on your smartphone and that Bluetooth is turned on. Remember your movements and the people with whom you have come into contact. Maintain proper mask wearing when outside your home, limit social activities to within the household, and don’t share bilos and cigarettes. And report for screening immediately if you have any of the common COVID-19 symptoms–even very mild symptoms.

Vaccination Campaign Update

Since the restart of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign within the Suva and Nausori Containment Zones on Monday 24th May, 16,148 doses of the vaccine have been administered. A total of 13,398 first doses were administered to the people living between Suva-Nausori, while 2,750 second doses were given to the frontliners across Fiji. As of 26 May 2021, 111,801 people in Fiji have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, this is 17 percent of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ target population of 650,000 individuals. A daily list of vaccination sites will be released each evening.
The Ministry of Health acknowledges the support of the different government ministries, agencies including RFMF, Fiji Police, civil society groups and ordinary Fijians who have come forward in in the successful roll-out of the vaccination program.
COVID-19 Update – 26-05-2021
Media Release
COVID-19 Update
Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Evening Update

There are 14 new positive cases to report since the afternoon update and as of 6 pm today. 13 of the new cases are contacts of previously announced cases:

• 9 of the new cases are from the navy cluster.
• 3 are contacts of the Waila cluster.
• 1 case is a household contact of case 244 in the Muanikoso cluster
• 1 case was a day patient at CWM Hospital, she was not admitted at the hospital but was tested as part of a pre-admission screening program that is being conducted at the hospital. Investigations are ongoing into the possible source of her infection.

8 patients have recovered, which means there are now 127 active cases in isolation. Fiji has had 286 cases in total, with 155 recoveries and 4 deaths, since our first case was reported on March 19th, 2020.

Due to a shortage of suitable accommodation sites that may serve as quarantine facilities in the Central Division, we are now moving close contacts of cases that are negative on their entry and 4th-day tests to the established quarantine facilities in Nadi to complete the remainder of their 14-day quarantine. The prerequisite of the 2 negative tests is in place to mitigate the risk of transmission between those in quarantine during their travel to Nadi.

96,111 COVID-19 laboratory tests have been conducted since testing started in early 2020. This does not yet include the 11,000 samples recently tested in Australia.

A total of 3290 samples were tested yesterday. The daily average of testing over the last 7 days is 2541 tests per day. The 7-day average daily test positivity is at 0.5%, and 0.8% on the last day. An average of 2.9 tests per 1000 population was conducted daily over the last 7 days, with 3.7 tests per 1000 population on the last day.
COVID-19 Situation Update

COVID-19 Afternoon Update
Wednesday 26th May 2021

Transmission Update

We have recorded 13 new cases since the last update yesterday evening. All 13 are primary contacts of previously announced cases. 12 of the new cases are from Fiji Navy staff who are primary contacts of the Navy staff case announced yesterday. Investigations are ongoing and no links have yet been established with other clusters.

The 13th new case is another member of the Kinoya household announced last night. This means that there are now 11 positive cases in this one household.

There are now 121 active cases in isolation. We have now recorded 272 cases in Fiji since our first case was detected in March of last year, with 147 recoveries.

Response Update

While cases continue to be reported from the Central Division it has now been 14 days since a case was reported from the Western Division.

Lautoka Hospital has completed 21 days of sequestration. It has also been 21 days since the last case was recorded from within Lautoka Hospital, with 4 rounds of testing completed for all patients and staff. Tomorrow the patients who were sequestered in the hospital will be discharged home, as will the staff. Only emergency services will be operational at the hospital from tomorrow, and the plan is to open the hospital to the public by June 1st. FEMAT will also wrap up operations in Lautoka once the hospital is open next week.

Vaccination Update

The vaccination campaign restarted on Monday, with mobile vaccination teams targeting communities in the Suva-Nausori containment zone.
A daily list of vaccination sites will be released by the evening.

Since Monday 9069 doses of the vaccine have been administered, which includes 7121 first doses in Suva-Nausori, and 1948 second doses for frontliners across Fiji. Two doses, spaced 10-12 weeks apart, are necessary to get the full protective effect of the vaccine. As of 25th of May 107,014 people in Fiji have received the first dose of the vaccine, this is 16.5% of our target population of 650,000 individuals. A total of 2913 individuals are now fully vaccinated.

COVID-19 Update – 25-05-2021
Media Release
COVID-19 Update
Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Evening Update
There are 11 new positive cases to report since the afternoon update and as of 6 pm today.
Ten of the new cases are from one household in Kinoya linked to the Extra Supermarket cluster. The eleventh case is a work contact of case 206 from the Samabula cluster, who works for FICAC. Contact tracing investigations are ongoing and the public should expect to see our teams on the ground conducting these investigations throughout Suva.
Though cases have currently not been detected in Lami, the public should also expect to see increased screening activities there in an effort to ramp up our community surveillance beyond the current known areas where cases have been found.
12 patients have recovered, which means there are now 108 active cases in isolation. Fiji has had 259 cases in total, with 147 recoveries and 4 deaths, since our first case was reported on March 19th, 2020.
Results have been received from the remaining 4000 of the 11,000 total backlogged samples that were sent to two private laboratories in Melbourne, Australia, for testing. There are zero positive results reported from these samples. Our reference lab, the Melbourne Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory at the Doherty Institute, is now conducting verification of these results.
A total of 92,821 COVID-19 laboratory tests have been conducted since we started testing in early 2020.
A total of 2496 samples were tested yesterday. The daily average of testing over the last 7 days is 2496 tests per day. The 7-day average daily test positivity is at 0.5%, and also 0.8% on the last day. An average of 2.8 tests per 1000 population was conducted daily over the last 7 days, with 2.8 tests per 1000 population also on the last day.