Ministry of Health

Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Dr James Fong said there have been 101 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 7,138 active cases.

Dr Fong added that there have been 8,591 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021.

He said five of the patients who died were not vaccinated while one received only the first jab of the vaccine.

The virus is taking its toll on the elderly population with two women aged 80 succumbing to COVID-19.

The other cases are aged between 44 and 68 years.

The Ministry of Health will be starting on 9 July at the National Convention Centre in Port Vila.

At the official ceremony for the launch of the Sinopharm vaccine in June, 102 doses were administered to government officials and the Prime Minister, Bob Loughman as well as other Chinese nationals.

The ceremony was held after 20,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the country earlier in the month.

Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said the first death was a 74-year-old man was brought to FEMAT in Suva in acute respiratory distress.

The second case was a 71-year-old man also brought to FEMAT unresponsive.

A death which was previously under investigation has now been classified by the clinical team also as a COVID death.

There have now been 24 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 22 during the outbreak that started in April this year.

The ministry is appealing to adults to use the buses to go and get their Covid-19 vaccination.

Vanuatu now has about 44,000 doses of vaccines, 24,000 of AstraZeneca through the COVAX facility and 20,000 doses of Sinopharm from China.

So far 7,462 people have received the first dose of AstraZeneca - health and frontline workers, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Meanwhile, the director of the National Disaster Management Office, Abraham Nasak, says there will be a temporary restriction on passengers travelling into Vanuatu.

Of this total, 548 health workers, 1, 032 other frontline workers, 1, 367 elderly persons and 994 persons with known underlying conditions have received their first dose of the vaccine.

According to the Ministry of Health, the first batch of 24, 000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to cover up to 20% of the country’s population initially prioritising health workers, frontline workers as border workers, quarantine facility staff, public transport drivers, elderly (55 and above) and people over 35 with existing medical conditions.

This was recorded in the 24-hour period ending 8am today.

Of the 180 cases, 168 are from the Lami – Nausori containment area, 11 cases are from the Western Division and one case in Korovou, Tailevu.

The country recorded 126 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday with one death.

The Ministry of Health says the 42-year old man died at the CWM Hospital in Suva.

He was admitted to the hospital with leptospirosis and also tested positive for COVID-19 during his admission.

As a result the ministry has stood-down all personnel operating from the third floor of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Headquarters in Suva.

Among the staff who are now working from home are Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong, Head of Health Protection, Dr Aalisha Sahukhan, and Chief Medical Advisor, Dr Jemesa Tudravu.

They have been identified as secondary contacts of the three cases.

The ministry said the primary contacts have been identified and safely quarantined.

One of the participants, Lola Iavro, a representative from the Shefa Health Office attended training on Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction, from 16th November – 18 December, 2020.

Gregil Fateful from the Vanuatu Tourism Office attended training on Tourism and Promotion and Marketing from from February 15– 26 Feb, 2021.

Sakary Fateful from the Vanuatu Fire Service attended training on Rescue & First Aid Techniques and Fire Fighting techniques from 21 August-20 November 1996 and on the 8th July-21st October 1999.

A 31-year-old woman of Port Vila was tested and confirmed to have the serious bacterial infection.

Director of Public Health, Len Tarivonda said the Ministry of Health has conducted a follow-up visit to the patient’s family home and work place.

He said all direct contacts have been treated preventatively by antibiotics.

Vila Central Health physicians have confirmed that the patient has been treated with antibiotics and is recovering well.

The ministry has put in place enhanced surveillance of the disease.

The Ministry of Health Advisory Committee has set these stages at 640 guests in quarantine at a time.

The ministry and World Health Organisation also continue to work very closely with the Department of Tourism to finalise the Safe Business Operations Guideline and to roll it out to the provinces.

The SBO Guidelines Policy was highlighted at the recent National Business Forum which was a government consultation forum facilitated by the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry.