STATEMENT BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES DR. JAMES FONG – 01.06.21 AFTERNOON UPDATE

Posted On: June 1, 2021

Transmission Update
We have recorded 26 cases as of this morning. All these new cases are linked to existing clusters. All are stable and either in isolation facilities or home isolation.

At the present time, the vast majority of cases have been arising from existing clusters and not as cases with unknown sources of transmission from the community. This indicates that our contact tracing and the isolation of communities where infections are found is effective; however, we will continue to escalate our community surveillance program to look for cases outside clusters and the contained areas.

The new cases are linked to the following clusters:
● Navy cluster – 23
● Extra Supermarket cluster – 1
● Nawaka, Nadi cluster – 2

There are currently 293 active cases, 17 of these cases are from Nadi, and 276 are within the Lami-Nausori containment zone. We have recorded a total of 464 cases in Fiji since the first case in March of last year, with 394 during the current outbreak.

We are also aware of the increasing danger posed to our health facilities and will be escalating our mitigation measures. This will include setting up field hospitals and more quarantine and isolation facilities. As such this may involve temporarily taking over assets for this purpose.

Vaccination Update
Yesterday we administered 12,572 first doses and 134 second doses, thus a total of 12,706 vaccinations across Viti Levu, a record for one day. Thanks and congratulations to all Fijians who braved the rain to get vaccinated and the vaccination teams that made it possible.

Cumulatively we have now vaccinated 148,522 individuals with their first dose of the vaccine. This is 28% of the target population, which is  people aged 18 and older in Fiji. 4,251 individuals, which is 3% of the target population, have received their 2nd dose and are considered fully vaccinated.

Priority has been in Viti Levu because that is where the current outbreak is centred. Breakdown by division is:
Western Division: 32% first dose/6% second dose
Central Division: 32% first dose/0.66% second dose
Northern 12% first dose/1% second dose
Eastern Division: 10% first dose/no second doses

Screening and Testing Update
5,575 individuals were screened at stationary screening clinics yesterday, and 9.4% were swabbed and tested. Mobile screening clinics screened 4,602 individuals and swabbed 279, or 6%.