Fiji has recorded an alarmingly high 83 new cases since the last daily update yesterday.
Ministry of Health and Medical Services permanent secretary Dr James Fong said the majority of those cases were from known clusters or areas already under containment or lockdown protocols.
Those areas include Waila, CWM Hospital, IMT-HQ, IMT Warehouse, Caubati, Navy, Samabula, Shop N Save Supermarket, Nawaka Nadi, and Navosai.
Dr Fong said new clusters had been reported in Naitasiri.
The new cases reported in Naitasiri are from the following localities:
- 2 cases from Matasinasau Village, one of whom was recently discharged from CWM and one case who had moved to Tavua Village by the time the results were known
- 1 case from Laselevu
- 1 case in the Savusavu settlement; and
- 1 case in Vuisiga Village, Vunidawa.
“The Naitasiri Containment Response team have also had to stand down due to exposure to a positive case,” Dr Fong said tonight.
He said one case had been confirmed in Tavua in a traveller who recently arrived from Lautoka.
“The cluster of greatest concern is at CWM Hospital where our medical teams are going to great lengths to provide critical treatment without exposing themselves and their patients to the virus.
“In Lautoka, we cordoned off the hospital as a COVID-care facility and deployed a field hospital to handle non-COVID care. We will be replicating the success of that model at CWM Hospital.
“The CWM Hospital will become a full-time COVID-care facility with tightly controlled movement into the hospital.
“Access to Laboratory, Maternity and Paediatric Units will be through escalated screening protocols and package decontamination protocols. A field hospital for the treatment of non-COVID patients in the vicinity of the CWM Hospital is being established in conjunction with our partners from Australia.
“In total, 11 of the 83 cases confirmed today are of unknown origin and will be classified as cases of community transmission until proven otherwise”
