The Fiji TimesCOVID-19: Well being Ministry able to assessment public well being border measures; two deaths reported

Fiji’s Ministry of Well being and Medical Companies says given the excessive degree of the outbreak in China and the potential of COVID-19 variant formation, it is able to assessment some public well being border measures.

Ministry everlasting secretary Dr James Fong stated they’d been suggested that China was now open for inward and outward journey.

At current, the USA, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia had introduced that every one passengers arriving from China to have a pre-departure COVID check.

He stated Fiji doesn’t have direct journey from China at current.

“Our knowledge point out that we’ve got a excessive degree of immune safety given the low affect the present wave is having on admission capability. The present wave in China is pushed by recognized variants,” Dr Fong stated within the ministry’s COVID-19 public advisory.

He stated whereas China and international locations that obtain passengers immediately from China had the flexibility to surveil for variants, added Fiji additionally had the in-country capability now to surveil for variants.

“As such, our present stance is that no new journey restrictions shall be put in place, nonetheless, we additionally don’t rule out the potential of journey restrictions sooner or later,” Dr Fong stated.

He stated there was a unbroken pattern within the enhance in COVID-19 instances primarily based on case numbers reported to the ministry, positivity charges being compiled from lodge, airport and hospital staff, and absenteeism charges from chosen industries and colleges.

In its newest COVID-19 replace launched on January 5, the ministry reported 19 new instances, two reinfections and two deaths.

Of that, 18 instances had been reported within the Central Division and one case within the Western Division.

The 2 deaths had been that of a 64-year-old man from Suva who introduced to the Valelevu Well being Centre in respiratory misery and examined optimistic for COVID-19; and a 34-year-old Tuvaluan girl who was admitted to CWM hospital with diabetes issues, and in addition examined optimistic for COVID-19.

Dr Fong stated they’d additionally registered 10 sufferers who had by the way examined optimistic for COVID-19 whereas admitted to the hospital.

“Correspondingly, we’re at present specializing in implementing COVID secure measures round these weak to the extreme results of COVID-19.

“This contains escalating measures in hospitals, previous folks’s houses and amenities catering for disabled individuals.

“As such we count on to escalate screening protocols and masking for workers, sufferers and guests. Moreover, customer restrictions shall be in place.”

Dr Fong has suggested members of most people, notably the aged, these with continual illness, and kids with disabilities to make sure they acquired 4 doses of the vaccine, and measures taken to make sure they had been taken to the hospital early if there was an early indication of feeling unwell, particularly with respiratory signs.

“In line with the expertise in different international locations which have excessive vaccination charges, we anticipate a manageable affect in hospital admissions for COVID-19 illness regardless of growing case numbers.

“Whereas immune safety from the extreme illness stays, there’s anticipated to be some immune escape functionality that makes the variant extra transmissible. The aged, these with continual illnesses, pregnant moms and kids with disabilities should be intently watched on this regard.”