A soldier helps mobile screening teams carry out door-to-door tests in Suva. Photo: Supplied/Fiji govt/RNZ
By RNZ
Covid-19 cases along Fiji's Suva- Nausori corridor are not the sole indicator to monitor the progress of the outbreak in the country, health authorities said.
They were also closely monitoring test positivity, hospitalisations and deaths to track the progress of the outbreak.
Of 180 Covid patients in Fiji hospitals, 20 are in severe condition and seven are critical.
The Government also confirmed 160 new cases and five deaths last night. All died at home.
Four of the latest cases were reported on the remote holiday hotspot of Naviti Island, 88 from the west of the country and 72 in the Central Division.
Since the last update, 440 people have recovered, which means there are now more than 14,000 active cases - 3238 in the Central Division; 10,748 in the west; four in the north (Macuata) and 125 in the east of Fiji (all in Kadavu), Health Secretary James Fong said.
The country kept case numbers low last year - recording only 66 cases - but 48,083 cases hae been recorded during the outbreak that started in April this year.
"The doctors have determined that these deaths were caused by a serious pre-existing medical condition and not Covid-19.
"We also recorded a total of 345 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted Covid-19; these are not classified as Covid deaths."
As of September 6, 568,244 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 306,907 their second dose.
"This means that 96.9 per cent of the target population have received at least one dose and 52.6 per cent are now fully vaccinated nation-wide."
Focus on community scrutiny
The Health Ministry is transitioning to community surveillance testing as severe disease numbers and positivity rates approach the containment phase levels.
Fong said surveillance and testing continue on Malolo Island in the west, where positive cases were diagnosed in Solevu Village last weekend.
The intermediate team also visited the villages of Somosomo, Gunu, Nasoqo, Kese and Mua-i-ra on Naviti Island for surveillance and testing.
"A total of 204 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and have been sent to Lautoka hospital laboratory for analysis."
Fong said surveillance and testing also continue for villages and settlements on the eastern island of Kadavu.
"Daily assessment of positive cases by the community health workers and zone nurses continues with cases referred to doctors in Vunisea Hospital and Kavala Health Centre when required."
Fong said movement and social gathering restrictions remained in force.
Given the clear evidence of community transmission on the island, the ministry anticipates the number of cases will escalate further with the risk of severe disease and death.
"Screening and testing continue in the Namara Tiri containment zone in Labasa, with no new cases identified in the last 24 hours.
"Movement restrictions remain in force in the containment zone as well as for the whole of Labasa Town."
Fiji now has 14,115 active cases in isolation with the death toll at 525 - 523 of these from the latest outbreak that began in April.
- RNZ
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