COVID-19

Makoi woman tests positive for COVID-19

May 11, 2021 5:40 am

The Makoi woman who tested positive for COVID-19 presented herself to the Makoi Health Centre today. [Source: Google]

There is one new case of COVID-19 from Makoi, Nasinu who is considered to have been infected through community transmission.

She is from Kalokalo Crescent and presented to the Makoi Health Centre yesterday with COVID symptoms and early investigation shows at this very early stage in the investigation, no link has been established between this case and others.

Health Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong, says all containment areas of Lautoka, Nadi, Rakiraki, Lami, Suva and Nausori will remain.

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“The confirmation of cases of unknown origin, in particular, indicates the virus could still be present in all six areas, so the borders must be enforced, as must the other restrictions we have in place. When the data tell us to proceed in a different direction, we’ll tell you. “

The Ministry says movement across Viti Levu is currently restricted for essential purposes only and the purpose of limiting movement is to limit mixing between people.

“We are dealing with a highly transmissible variant and several unknown chains of transmission, so we want people to operate in “ bubbles and stay in their bubbles as much as possible. If the virus stays within one person, and that person does not mix with other people, the virus eventually dies, because it has no new hosts to infect.”

Fiji has had three more recoveries and now we have 36 active cases, which are seven border quarantine cases, 23 locally transmission cases and six under investigation for its source.

Out of the six, one is the deceased Lautoka man and one who has recovered.

Doctor Fong has once again spoken about any possible lockdown that might be needed.

“We can be targeted in our approach so that if we do lock down an area, or even all of Viti Levu, we do not place undue hardship on people and businesses. In other words, future lockdowns, should they be needed, will be targeted and active. They will be targeted because the lockdown area will be defined as narrowly as possible. And they will be active because we will endeavour to permit the broadest range of movement and economic activity possible, in bubbles that mitigate widespread transmission of the virus. We want essential services to continue, and we want as many as people as possible to go to their jobs and open their businesses. We cannot expect our economy to recover if we shut entire industries for weeks on end. Some of those jobs –– particularly in manufacturing may never come back.” 

He says businesses, organizations, communities, and individuals are all in this campaign together.

“Whatever step we take, whether that is legally mandating mask-wearing or the use of careFIJI, or even re-introducing a 24-hour curfew, our success will ultimately come down to the diligence and the vigilance of the public. Many people are making adjustments to keep themselves and their loved one safe, we see you, and we appreciate you. But too many of us are still pretending as if there is no threat in our midst; as if the world is still the way it was more than one year ago, before the coronavirus spread from country to country like wildfire. This pandemic has changed societies in long-lasting ways. It has changed the way people interact. It has changed the way people do business. And Fiji must change with the world.” 

 

Doctor Fong has also laid to rest confusion about the Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team (FEMAT) field hospitals in Lautoka.

He says the FEMAT field hospital takes the strain off Lautoka Hospital, which is now designated for the care of COVID patients.

Doctor Fong says the Field Hospital treats the cases the hospitals would normally expect to treat such as acute cases, accidents, childbirths, and other non-elective surgeries, for example.

“We are doing this because we don’t want to put non-infected patients in the same hospitals with infected patients. There is too much risk of transmission, and we can’t have the medical staff going from one group of patients to the other. While the field hospital is technically only for emergency care, we will see whoever comes through the gate, aside, of course, from any patients showing COVID-like symptoms. Maternity care will also be done in the FEMAT Hospital while deliveries will be done on board the MV Veivueti. Further care of sick mothers and babies will be in the new Ba Hospital.”


[Source: Ministry of Health and Medical Services]


(Source: Sikeli Junior)