COVID-19 outbreak is escalating in the Lami - Nausori containment area, with numbers expected to rise further

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says the COVID-19 outbreak, based on the number of daily cases, is escalating in the Lami - Nausori containment area, with a majority of the cases in the lockdown areas or clusters.

Doctor Fong says the 7 day rolling average of daily cases is now at 68 cases per day.

He says the 116 new cases announced was not unexpected, and daily case numbers are expected to increase further.

Doctor Fong says the detection of a new cluster in the Korovou area, outside the containment zones, is a cause for concern.

He says while they continue to respond to new cases and monitor the outbreak closely, their mitigation measures to cater for severe illness are presently able to cater for the current caseload.

Doctor Fong says with the rising case numbers, the risk of an increase in severe cases is high but there are contingency measures in place to respond accordingly.

Please stay at home as much as possible.

If you have to leave your home: wear a mask, keep at least 2 metres between yourselves and others outside your household, frequently wash your hands with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Download the careFIJI app and Bluetooth on.

Behave as if anyone you encounter outside your home may have the virus.

Don’t attend social gatherings.

Don’t drink grog with anyone outside your household.

Don’t invite anyone home.

Please get vaccinated as it will reduce your risk of contracting the virus and help protect you from severe disease and death if you do get infected with COVID-19.