Fiji reported 264 new coronavirus infections, dropping 56% overnight and the lowest daily count in nearly two months, but one that Permanent Secretary Health Dr James Fong cautions are not grounds for complacency in view of other telling indicators.
Dr Fong said while the number of tests has dropped in line with recent changes to testing policy, other indicators including test positivity, hospitalisations and deaths that the ministry considers tracking the spread and intensity of the infections remain high to date.
Thus warrant continued diligence in practising safe COVID-19 protocols and vaccination when the opportunity is presented – reasons for the latter underlined by COVID-19 deaths to date – 10 more overnight – totalling 327 victims, none of whom were fully vaccinated. Among the victims were children not eligible to receive the vaccine.
“Test positivity in Suva-Nausori was between 40-50% before the change in testing policy and has remained at this high level, which is above the national average. This is one indicator of the continuing high level of community transmission in this area. Testing levels in the Western Division remain consistently high with 3.8-4 tests per 1000 population per day at a 7-day average. We are seeing increasing cases reported in the Western Division with evidence of widespread community transmission in that division. We are also recording increasing numbers of people with severe disease and deaths in the West.”
Of the 264 new cases, 50.4% were reported in the central division where all of the new 10 deaths, none fully vaccinated, announced yesterday were also registered. Five of the 10 victims died at home.
Deaths (for the period 30 July – 10 August)
- 82 year old man, Nausori
- Died at home on 8 August
- He was not vaccinated.
- 69 year old woman, Suva
- Died at home on 7 August.
- She was not vaccinated.
- 64-year-old woman, Wailea
- Died at home on 8 August.
- Partially vaccinated having received the first dose of the vaccine in late May.
- 64 year old man, Suva
- Died at home on 9 August
- He was not vaccinated.
- 47 year old man, Kinoya
- Died at home on 9 August
- He was not vaccinated.
- 44 year old woman, Lami.
- Presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.
- She died on 30 July, ten days after admission at the CWM Hospital .
- She was not vaccinated.
- 72 year old man, Kalabu.
- Presented to the CWM Hospital in severe respiratory distress.
- He died on 9 August, one day after admission at the CWM Hospital .
- Partially vaccinated, having received the first dose of the vaccine in early June.
- 52 year old woman, Nabua.
- Presented to the CWM hospital in severe respiratory distress.
- She died on 9 August, 12 days after admission.
- She was not vaccinated.
- 63 year old man, Lami.
- Presented to the CWM hospital in severe respiratory distress.
- Died on 9 August, two days after admission.
- He was not vaccinated.
- 51 year old woman, Suva.
- Presented to the CWM hospital in severe respiratory distress.
- She died on 10 August, 17 days after admission.
- She was not vaccinated.
Three other positive patients have died, totalling 171 non COVID-19 deaths attributed to pre-existing medical issues and 325 COVID deaths since April. The 7-day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths per day is 7.
Active Cases and Hospitalisations
Of the 24,414 active cases on Viti Levu – 18,948, in the central division and 5,446 in the western division -1.2% patients are admitted in hospital.
Sixty-two patients are at the Lautoka Hospital, 67 at the FEMAT field hospital, and 171 spread across CWM hospital, St Giles, and Makoi.
Screening Update
A total of 6,176 individuals were screened and 773 swabbed at the stationary screening clinics in the last 24 hours, totalling 432,174 individuals screened and 76,462 swabbed to date. As of 9 August, the mobile screening teams screened1,366 individuals and swabbed 155 for a total of 783,709 individuals screened and 69,206 swabbed by mobile teams.
Testing update and Positivity
The number of tests that have been done in recent days have dropped, positivity however not so, at least based on available data over three days between 6 August and 8 August. Of 1981 tests carried out on 6 August, 38% were positive. On 7 August 1550 tests, 44% were positive and on 8 August 1085 tests, 61% positive.
A total of 297,801 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 340,662 tested since testing began in March 2020. The 7-day daily test average is 2489 tests per day or 2.8 tests per 1,000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 37.1%.
Total Cases and Recoveries
There have been 37,776 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021, and a cumulative total of 37, 846 cases since the first case in March 2020. Recoveries have increased to 12,393 after 257 more patients recovered.
