Colonial War Memorial Hospital

Fiji has not seen an increase in severe cases and deaths, corresponding to a spike in COVID-19 cases, however, it remains a possibility.

Head of Health Protection, Dr Aalisha Sahukhan, says the pandemic has affected the Colonial War Memorial Hospital’s acute medical ward which resulted in the death of five individuals.

The acute medical ward is where the sickest are managed.

Dr Sahukhan says five deceased persons were admitted for severe illnesses at CWM and one patient from Lautoka hospital died earlier.

“We had six deaths for people who tested positive for COVID-19 but they had pre-existing conditions, they were in the hospital for and in the end the doctors said they died from this illness and not COVID-19.”

Head of Health Protection, Dr Aalisha Sahukhan

Dr Shaukhan says Fiji is now averaging much higher numbers but these can increase further.

“We are now at about 60 cases per day. If you are looking at our population that’s about 68 per million population that’s a high number. Put that in context neither Australia nor New Zealand got to this level of cases per day”.

There is also an increase in community transmissions, however, the Ministry is keeping up with high levels of testing.

Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says the seven-day average indicates the correct path they need to follow.

Dr Fong says the Fiji Centre for Disease Control lab has caught up with all the tests and are now just doing current tests.

The test positivity is increasing and has hit the threshold of two percent which indicates that there is an influx of cases.