A 63 year old COVID-19 positive patient from Rakiraki Village in Yale, Kadavu has passed away. She was declared dead on arrival at the Vunisea Hospital on Tuesday.
The Permanent Secretary for Health Dr. James Fong says this means she died at home or on the way to hospital.
Dr Fong says her family reported that she had been experiencing cough, fever and shortness of breath and was swabbed as per protocol and tested positive for COVID-19.
She was not vaccinated.
This death is currently classified as under investigation while awaiting information and issuance of a death certificate by the medical team.
Dr Fong says early investigations have indicated that the woman had contact with individuals who travelled unauthorized between Suva and Kadavu.
A response team is currently onsite investigating the case and conducting public health investigations with testing and quarantine of contacts.
The Health Ministry also says to help with their Public Health Containment measures, they are suspending shipping services to Kadavu for a week starting today to the 26th of August 2021.
The Ministry of Health reiterates its call for maritime islanders to not engage in unauthorised travel to and from Viti Levu. They are calling all village leaders and elders to support current efforts to protect maritime islands and to report immediately of any unauthorised or suspicious movements into communities.
