COVID-19: 21 Critical, 15 Now Dead, Dr Fong Reports

Twenty-one COVID-19 positive patients are currently admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital with severe illness.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr James Fong announced this yesterday along with 241 new cases and two more confirmed COVID-19 deaths.

This brings the total to 17 COVID-19 deaths, 15 of which were recorded during the current outbreak which began in April, 2021.

Deaths

Dr Fong announced the death of a 50-year-old man from New Town who is believed to have died at home and was declared dead on arrival at the Valelevu Health Centre.

The man had severe respiratory distress and was swabbed and tested positive at the health centre.

He had received the first dose of the vaccine early this month.

The second death that was confirmed by the ministry is a 62-year-old man from Grantham Rd who presented to the FEMAT field hospital in respiratory distress.

He had been having respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, for at least a week before presenting to FEMAT.

Areas of Interest

Out of the new cases announced yesterday five cases involved Corrections Officers from Suva who are staying at the Fiji Sugar Corporation Compound in Rakiraki.

The Officers were undergoing 14 days quarantine at the FSC compound as part of essential movement from red zone to green zone when they tested positive.

The remaining cases are from the Lami-Suva-Nausori containment zone and 106 from existing areas of interest.

The ministry has identified 17 new areas of interest including Fiji Times, Food City Suva, Matanisivoro Settlement, National Kidney Centre-Nadera, Suva City Council, Tamavua-i-Wai.

There are 3027 active cases in isolation.

Testing Update

A total of 150,878 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 193,739 tested since testing began in early 2020. 2577 tests have been reported for June 26th. Updated testing numbers from the Tamavua Twomey Laboratory have been received for 25th June, therefore the total testing number for that day has been updated. The national 7-day daily test average is 2930 tests per day or 3.3 tests per 1000 population. The national 7-day average daily test positivity is 7.9% and continues on an upward trend.

Vaccination Update

22,837 first doses and 25,329 second doses were administered nationally in the last 7 days. The total numbers of vaccination completed nationwide to date are 278,954 first doses which is 49% of the target population, and 43,345 second doses or 6.12% of the target population.

Edited by Selita Rabuku

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