Four-month old baby dies of COVID-19 in Fiji

A four-month old baby is one of three people to die of COVID-19 in the seven-day period between 30 August and 7 September in Fiji.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said the child was admitted at the CWM Hospital for five days before he succumbed to illness.

He was initially presented to a health centre in mild respiratory distress on 1 September.

"He was medically assessed and stabilised by the attending medical officer and then transferred to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva for specialist care on the same day," Dr Fong said.

The infant was tested for COVID-19 as per protocol upon admission and he returned a positive result.

Dr Fong said he was not vaccinated as he was not in the current target population of people 18 years and over who are eligible to receive the vaccine.

The other two deaths were a 66-year-old man and a 76-year-old man.

Eight people who tested positive for COVID-19 died from pre-existing conditions according to the latest update.

There have now been 528 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji.

353 COVID-19 positive patients have died from serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted the virus.

There are currently 169 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital. 20 patients are considered to be in severe condition, and 7 are in critical condition.

240 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed over a 24-hour-period ending 8 am yesterday.

49 cases are from the Western Division, 32 from the Central Division and 159 from the Eastern Division.

Meanwhile Fiji’s Navy has stepped up its surveillance and coastal patrols to ensure the maritime travel protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic are followed.

It comes amid an increase in COVID-19 infections on remote islands, with cases nearly toppling 300.

The government also confirmed new cases on Kadavu in the east and tourist hotspots, Malolo and Naviti in the west of the country.

There were 284 active cases on Kadavu, the Health Ministry said Wednesday night.

The Navy has strengthened coastal patrols as part of measures it said would help to monitor controlled and authorised maritime movements.