Fiji records 522 new cases and three more deaths
SUVA, 05 JULY 2021 (FIJI TIMES/FBC NEWS) — Fiji has recorded 522 new cases of COVID-19 and three COVID-19 deaths Sunday.
The first death is a 93-year-old woman from Matata, Valenicinia Lami. She died at home. According to protocol she was swabbed and tested positive for COVID-19. She was not vaccinated.
The two other deaths were previously reported as under investigation to determine if the cause of death was COVID-19. Doctors have now concluded that their deaths were caused by COVID-19. The first was a 60-year-old man from Lami Village who was declared dead on arrival at the Lami Health Centre. He died at home or on the way to the health facility. According to protocol he was swabbed and tested positive for COVID-19. He was not vaccinated. The second was a 56-year-old woman from Qauia in Lami who died at home. She also tested positive for COVID-19. She was not vaccinated.
Another death of a COVID-19 positive patient that was previously reported as under investigation to determine if COVID-19 was the cause of death has now been classified as a non-COVID death. Doctors have determined that the person died from a pre-existing illness and not COVID-19.
There have now been 30 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 28 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year. We also have recorded 13 COVID-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted COVID-19.
There have been 108 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 4,909 active cases in isolation. There have been 6091 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 6161 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 1209 recoveries.
Fiji has also battled conspiracy theories, alternative treatments and vaccine reluctance.
“Steam therapy and drinking hot water are not the treatment for Covid-19 and it does not protect one from contracting Covid-19.
“Inhaling steam (kuvui) and keeping hydrated with warm drinks are commonly used as home therapy to provide relief from a congested nasal passage, and short term instant relief from symptoms of cold or inflamed sinuses,”
“They should not be taken as a treatment or protection from Covid-19 infection,” a government statement said.
The ministry said getting vaccinated and practising hygiene measures such as wearing a mask when people leave home, washing hands frequently or hand sanitising, covering the mouth while coughing or sneezing or sneeze and social distancing remained the best ways to stay protected against the pandemic.
The measures also helped to stop the transmission of the virus from one person to another.
To date, 317, 461 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine, and 52,001 have received their second doses. This means that 54 % of the target population has received at least one dose and 8.9 % are now fully vaccinated nationwide.
The national 7-day daily test average is 3,144 tests per day or 3.6 tests per 1,000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 10.4% and continues on an upward trend.
Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu, has so far been the epicentre but two cases were recently found on Vanua Levu, and Gau Island went into lockdown last week.
Meanwhile, vaccinated is an act of patriotism.
This were the sentiments of President Major-General(retied) Jioji Konusi Konrote after receiving his second jab of the Astrazeneca vaccine.
President Konrote is now fully vaccinated and is urging all vaccine eligible individuals to come forward and take the jab as well.
“Each of us can help protect others as well as ourselves when we get ourselves vaccinated. Now that is why a vaccination does not just make personal sense, it is also an act of caring and humanity and is an act of patriotism”
Speaker of Parliament Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said each of us can help protect others, as well as ourselves, when we get vaccinated.
“So the thing to do is to follow the advice. Keeps you safe and keeps your families safe and everybody safe. So that’s the thing to do. Get your jabs”
Both of these leader’s plea is an effort to increase vaccination rate, to balance it with the COVID infection rate inorder to potentially flatten the infection curve.
SOURCE: FIJI TIMES/FBC/PACNEWS
