274 new cases of COVID-19 have been announced while Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong has raised serious concerns regarding a birthday party at Rifle Range in Lautoka which has resulted in a new cluster of cases.
Doctor Fong who was speaking via zoom as he is in isolation after coming into contact with a positive case, says the cluster of new cases stems from a birthday party with upwards of 14 people in attendance from various locations in Lautoka.
He says not only does this event show a blatant disregard for the COVID-19 safety measures, but it also troubles him that families would recklessly threaten the health of their family members and the broader community, especially those members of the family and community who are most vulnerable.
Doctor Fong says any large gathering of the family may be the last time you see your grandparents or another loved one because they could easily be infected by this highly transmissible variant, develop severe disease, and lose their lives.
He says don’t forget, it’s not only you and your family that suffer these consequences.
The Permanent Secretary says the entire community must now go under strict containment protocols and when someone in attendance at an illegal gathering inevitably gets sick and ends up in the hospital, it is the duty of our doctors and nurses to treat them, and they will.
But he says that preventable case of COVID-19 strains the healthcare system, making it more difficult for others to be treated.
He says following 74 new recoveries since Tuesday, there are now 3,503 active cases in the country.
Doctor Fong says as you will see from the online map of active cases, we are now in a situation of community transmission where there are cases throughout the Central Division.
He says our cases are climbing and we are expecting that the daily case average will continue to rise, including an increase in individuals suffering severe COVID-19.
The Permanent Secretary says they have no new deaths to report today.
However he says during this outbreak, tragically three deaths have occurred before the medical teams had the opportunity to offer treatment.
One patient died at home, two others were declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
He says it is possible for the virus to take hold very quickly and for symptoms to appear and escalate in a matter of hours but often, the timeline is more gradual, as symptoms become visible well before severe disease develops, often many days before.
Doctor Fong urges members of the public, if you feel any flu-like symptoms or you know someone who is experiencing any flu-like symptoms, please visit your nearest screening clinic, now.
If you have a cough, runny nose, extreme tiredness, a fever, if you have lost your sense of taste or smell or suspect you may have COVID-19, report to your nearest screening clinic, now.
He says time is critical, and you cannot afford to waste a precious second that could allow for the virus to spread to others or for you to receive early treatment.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
