70% of people screened in a clinic in Labasa tested positive for COVID-19 – Dr Fong

The Health Ministry is expecting COVID-19 cases to be reported in the maritime islands given the opening of maritime travel and the many social media postings of crowding in maritime vessels and social gatherings.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says these maritime islands and the Northern Division were largely spared during the Delta outbreak that affected Viti Levu earlier this year.

Doctor Fong who is in Vanua Levu says he can see that there is already a substantial amount of community transmission in the North.

He says he went to a screening clinic and saw that about 70% of the people screened in that clinic tested positive for COVID-19.

Doctor Fong says if 70% of people that were screened in that clinic tested positive for COVID-19 then he would presume that there are a lot of COVID positive people walking around the Northern Division right now.

He says the main advantage in these islands and the Northern Division is that more than 80% of the adult population have been vaccinated plus a significant number of children above 15.

Doctor Fong adds they have also been recently vaccinated and as such waning immunity may be less of an issue.

He further says therefore they expect that there is a high level of protection against severe disease and hospitalization in the Northern Division and maritime islands.

Doctor Fong has revealed that medical teams and supplies are being set up and prepositioned for deployment to maritime islands.