COVID-19

Acute phase of COVID pandemic could be over soon

March 22, 2022 5:12 am

At the global level, the World Health Organization has advised that the acute phase of the pandemic could soon be over.

However, it says this would depend on how quickly people meet the target to vaccinate 70% of the population in each country, among other factors.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says COVID is endemic in Fiji, and as such the risk of resurgence will be to the unvaccinated, those with waning immunity, and those who have not had a vaccine booster dose.

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More importantly, Dr. Fong says the vulnerable among us will be susceptible to severe disease and death even if they are vaccinated when compared to the non-vulnerable group.

He adds that the non-vulnerable including young adults and adolescents will always be able to transmit disease to the vulnerable.

Dr. Fong says the Ministry of Health expects that with the upcoming general elections, population mixing will be unavoidable.

However, Fiji’s vaccination coverage stands at 87% of the population 12 years and over and Dr. Fong says Fiji has quite a lot of post-infection acquired immunity in the population.

Meanwhile, since the last update, Fiji has recorded 18 new cases of COVID-19.

Four new cases were recorded last Saturday, nine new cases were recorded on Sunday and five new cases in the last 24 hours ending at 8 am yesterday.

Dr. Fong says of the 18 cases recorded, 15 cases were recorded in the Central Division; two cases were recorded in the Western Division, one case was recorded in the Northern Division, and nil case was recorded in the Eastern Division.