COVID-19

From November, foreign travellers will be allowed to fly into the US if they are fully vaccinated, and undergo testing and contact tracing.

The US has had tough restrictions on travel in place since early last year.

The move answers a major demand from European allies, and means that families and friends separated by the restrictions can be reunited.

White House Covid-19 coordinator Jeff Zients announced the new rules on Monday, saying: "This is based on individuals rather than a country-based approach, so it's a stronger system."

The country recorded 49,889 cases as of last Sunday.

The minister told Parliament that the next task is to identify people who remain unvaccinated.

“This process has commenced in the greater Suva, Nausori, Sigatoka, Nadi corridor and they have already picked up segments of the population with some in the vulnerable categories who missed out during the initial trial”.

Dr Waqainabete added they want to ensure every Fijian is safe.

The Ministry had earlier said they will not make it mandatory for children to be vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health confirms that the rollout in TAFEA will follow after SANMA and SHEFA provinces.

According to the ministry, 23,000 people in TAFEA are eligible to be vaccinated.

“Vaccination will begin at west and south Tanna, initially targeting the prioritized population, such as healthcare workers, immigration officers, public transport drivers, elderly people (aged 55 and above) and those with existing medical conditions.”

The Chairman of the TAFEA Council of Churches, Deman Steven said the TAFEA Council of Churches also support the vaccine rollout.

The Moderna vaccine will be used in the rollout that begins on Monday.

Health Secretary James Fong said the Moderna vaccine would be rolled out by school clusters across the country.

Dr Fong said unlike the workforce, vaccination for children would only be conducted with the consent of parents or guardians.

Parents and guardians will need to sign a consent form for their children to receive the vaccine, he said.

He said parents could register their child online through the Vaccine Registry Portal which is available from this weekend.

The positive case was a passenger who arrived on the September 13 flight from Hawaii according to Department of health officials.

The passenger is now in isolation for 14-days for observation and additional tests.

This was confirmed by the territory's acting governor Talauega Eleasalo Ale, during a press conference, where he was surrounded by health officials.

On Thursday, seven deaths from COVID-19 were recorded, the heaviest daily toll since the discovery of the first indigenous cases of the disease on September 6.

It brings the death toll to 24 since September 6, announced by President Louis Mapou, during a joint speech with the French High Commissioner, Patrice Faure.

A total of 211 people are in hospital, including 29 in intensive care.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said 69 cases are from the Western Division, 68 cases from the Central and nine cases from the Eastern Division.

There was one lone COVID-19 death reported.

A 93-year-old unvaccinated man from Suva died at home.

Dr Fong said there have been eight more deaths of positive patients classified as non-COVID deaths.

There have been 217 new recoveries since the last update and there are currently 12,870 active cases in the country.

Subsequently, ‘Protektem yu, famili, komuniti mo fiuja blong Vanuatu’ is becoming a familiar jingle resounding through households in Vanuatu on TV and radio, as well as emphasised through the new COVID-19 vaccine communication products.

In three months since the vaccination drive began, Vanuatu has reached over 50 per cent of the eligible population covered with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 18 per cent of the eligible population with two doses in SHEFA province.

Chief health officer Kerry Chant said the 20-year-old had significant underlying health conditions and was unvaccinated.

According NSW Health's own modelling, infections are anticipated to peak this week and hospitalisations will surge until mid-October.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the "next couple of months will be the most challenging" and in response to images of crowds gathering at weekend on Sydney's beaches, has asked the community to not become complacent.

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.