Fiji News

200 new cases of COVID-19 with no COVID death reported yesterday

PERMANENT Secretary for Health Dr James Fong confirms Fiji has 200 new cases of COVID-19 for the 24 hour period that ended at 8am yesterday with 131 cases from the Western Division, 67 from the Central Division, 2 cases in Kadavu, 7 cases on Malolo Island and 29 cases in Naviti, Yasawa Islands.

Dr Fong also confirmed there were no COVID-19 deaths to report yesterday.

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

There have been 13 new recoveries which means that there are now 16,537 active cases. 5,077 active cases are in the Central Division, 11,154 active cases in the Western Division, 4 active cases in the Northern Division and 302 active cases in Kadavu.

Dr Fong says as of midday yesterday 50.9% of the target population are now fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

Dr Fong adds because of this, the curfew will now start from 8pm – 4am as per the Prime Minister’s statement on the achievement of 50% full vaccination on the 22nd of August.

He also says they are announcing that funeral gathering restrictions have been increased to 20 persons.

Dr Fong highlighted that the change of the curfew hours and the increase of funeral gatherings to 20 persons must not make us complacent with COVID safe measures.

He says while we have more time for shopping and carrying out other essential activities, they advise the public that other health protection measures remain.

Dr Fong further says they are reviewing some of our restrictions however please restrict movement out of your homes.

Dr Fong adds when leaving home, please continue to practice COVID-19 safe measures of wearing a mask, regularly washing your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitiser, practise safe physical distancing of two meters and cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing; these are still critical for protection against COVID-19.

MEET THE yOUNG PACIFIC CHANGE MAKERS!!!

NOMINEE #4 MEREULA RAVIOA

Mereula Ravioa is 19 years old and is the assistant youth president for St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Youth in Lami.

She works closely with the youths in her local community in helping nurture their young people spiritually and emotionally.

Mereula says that she has always had a passion for working with young people and is very excited to be considered a Young Pacific Change Maker.

NOMINEE #5 NEHA CHAND

Our fifth Young Pacific Change Maker is Neha Nitika Chand.

Neha is a Bachelor of Agriculture Science student at the Fiji National University.

What’s extraordinary is that she is also an agricultural entrepreneur in the central part of Fiji.

With limited space, Neha has managed to establish her own organic backyard garden to provide fresh food, readily, for her household and for her community in Nausori.

She says that she started from scratch using the 3Rs principle to become a sustainable agricultural entrepreneur.

She also says that she would like to urge Fiji's young people and unemployed to step out of their comfort zones and start making a change.

Curfew to start from 8 tonight winning the Hong Kong 7s

THE Health Ministry has confirmed that the curfew on Viti Levu will start from 8pm tonight and the finish time remains at 4am.

This is based on 50.9 percent of eligible adults receiving their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama had earlier announced that once we fully vaccinate 50% of our target population, the curfew start time will be 8pm.

The Health Ministry says while the change of the curfew hours means more time for shopping and carrying out other essential activities, they advise the public that other health protection measures remain.

They say restrictions on social gatherings, leaving your house for essential travel and continuing to practice COVID-19 safe measures of wearing a mask, regularly washing your hands with soap and water or a hand sanitiser, practicing safe physical distancing of two meters and covering your cough and sneeze is still critical for protection against COVID-19. FIJI Airways Men’s National 7s Team Coach Gareth Baber says winning the Hong Kong 7s in the 2016/2017 season, probably saved his job in many respects.

While speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, Baber says he was under pressure at that point.

Baber says he saw that season as a transition year and the year was about developing the understanding of what the team culture would look like

in 2017 probably saved my job – Baber

and then exposing the players to it.

Baber further says people still believed that because Fiji won the Olympics in 2016, that everything should run the same way.

He adds it was obvious to him that numerous players were at different points in their careers.

Baber says his thoughts was always about the Olympics and he was looking at developing a core group of players.

CwM Hospital is working on getting its services normalized to cater for COVID and non-COVID patients – Dr Fong

PERMANENT Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says they are remodelling their health service provisions to adapt to a more COVID Safe environment.

Dr Fong says with the increase in the proportion of non-COVID admissions, the CWM Hospital is working on getting its services normalized to cater for COVID and non-COVID patients.

Dr Fong further says this would include resuming the outpatients and nonemergency inpatient services in a more COVID safe manner.

He adds the Heads of Departments, together with Clinical Governance and Infection Control Teams are working on protocols to be used for patients to access Specialist Services.

Dr Fong highlighted that this would include risk assessing patients and aligning their Infection Prevention and Control measures to protect staff and patients.

He says the special outpatient clinic has already started a digital platform to provide tele-health and virtual consultation.

Dr Fong adds using this platform patients are called, a telephone consultation is done and prescribed medications are provided and blood test forms have also been sent via Viber to patients.

Dr Fong says some services such as blood donation services, bloodletting services and processing of SOPD prescriptions for refilling are being carried out in more open spaces.

He further says the objective is to open services throughout September with particular attention to their Ophthalmology and Dental Services.

Dr Fong says many of the CWM doctors and nurses had been deployed to FEMAT and their transition is being coordinated with the return of the deployed staff.

Nurse who hasn’t seen her father for 7 months encourages everyone to get vaccinated so that frontliners like her can go home

IT will be the first time that Lautoka Hospital Staff Nurse, Shaniya Sharma will not be able to travel to Savusavu and spend Father’s Day with her father and family.

Sharma says these past seven months have been the most challenging for her, as this has been the longest time she has been away from her family.

She is encouraging everyone to get vaccinated so that she can go home to see her family.

She says it has been really difficult for her to leave her family behind during this pandemic because they and especially her father have been her pillar of strength.

She adds she really misses her father’s jokes, his smile, his stories and his strength.

She says if she were in Savusavu, she would have tried to make the most of the day with her siblings and would have made her father feel special for being the best dad ever.