The Ministry of Health is holding nothing back, trying to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Kadavu.

57 new infections were recorded on the island bringing the total number of active cases to 232.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says frontliners are scattered across the island obtaining swabs and carrying out testing while two Gene-Expert machines are based at the Vunisea Hospital.

“The teams that are going out doing screening, they are using rapid diagnostic tests. So given the situation in Vunisea, all the positive tests are considered positive and all the negative tests they have to bring it back again and re-do it in the Gene Expert machine to check because of the problem of false negativity amongst the rapid diagnostic tests.”

Doctor Fong says accessibility has been a challenge, however, this has been overcome with the assistance of locals.

“Only 50 percent of the area is accessible by road and the rest is by water. I do know that a few small boats were taken across also in the Veivueti. We took a lot of fuel across and we’ve been able to utilize small boats in the village.”

Tavuki District representative Sailasa Boteanakadavu says a health team has visited them and is also vaccinating people.

He says while most have had their first jab last month, those who were doubting the vaccine have come forward.

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