COVID-19

Infections likely to hit a peak says Dr Fong

June 7, 2021 4:23 am

Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong believes Fiji is heading towards a peak with high numbers of COVID-19 infections.

Dr Fong says the Ministry expects more days of high numbers of confirmed cases and more hospitalizations are expected as severe cases of the virus develop.

He says pandemics usually start slow but eventually reach an acute stage, and with the significant community transmissions, the Ministry need to relook at strategies in terms of the spread and how they respond.

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Dr Fong says they will be working with the World Health Organization to reassess the status of COVID-19 in the country.

“That is why we are looking at other donors. We are also looking at field hospitals and we are also responding with escalating screening. I personally feel that we are going to start hitting the acutely ascending phase of our epidemic. This is what usually happens in this type of pandemic.”

The Ministry is responding on the basis that the spread of the virus is escalating.

The Permanent Secretary says Fiji is now testing at the highest rate in Oceania.

He adds Fiji has never been more equipped than today to confront an outbreak.

Dr Fong is urging Fijians to take the health measures seriously as we cannot wait for more record-breaking days of case numbers.