[File Photo]

The World Health Organization’s comments that the end of the pandemic is in sight should add to the need for countries to strengthen their capacity to live with the virus.

This was highlighted by the Ministry of Health adding that Fiji continues to see a persistent decrease in cases.

However, Permanent Secretary Doctor James Fong says strengthening our ability to live with COVID also means high vigilance and maintaining community-wide adoption of COVID safe measures where appropriate.

Dr Fong stresses that immunization remains the only means to reduce the spread of the virus and protect the vulnerable in our communities.

He adds that the impact of immunization is demonstrated in the decreased hospitalization rates for severe diseases in all the divisional hospitals.

The Permanent Secretary continues to echo the importance of vaccination and the need for eligible Fijians to get their booster doses.

The Ministry is currently targeting an 80 percent booster coverage for those over 18 years of age in order to remove the remaining public health measures.

Meanwhile, Fiji recorded 19 new cases of COVID-19 since the Ministry’s last update on the 8th of this month.

Of the 19 cases, six were from the Central Division and 13 in the West.