[Photo: Supplied]

A health worker has passed away due to COVID-19.

44-year-old was going through pregnancy while she tested positive.

She also had other pregnancy-related complications.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says delivery by Caesarean section was done to facilitate the baby’s survival and the colleague’s critical care.

“Unfortunately, our colleague passed away on Wednesday, the 21st of July from complications of COVID-19, despite the best efforts of the attending physicians. Her baby has recovered well and is in stable condition”.

Doctor Fong says another fellow doctor also succumbed to COVID-19 and unfortunately, more of the fellow health workers and front liners may get severe disease in the near future.

“Frontline health workers are integral to the global response to COVID-19. In hospitals, clinics and homes around the world, health workers are taking on significant personal risks. This is the same in Fiji. This current crisis is demonstrating the essential, tireless, innovative and too-often undervalued role of health workers and our frontline colleagues in ensuring strong, resilient health systems for everyone, everywhere”.

He adds Fiji’s seven-day rolling average of cases per million per day remains among the highest in the world.

This means we have among the highest daily cases reported for the population size.

He adds the toll of this in terms of mental and social suffering is high.

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