Baby among Covid deaths in Fiji

An 11-month-old baby is one of the latest victims of Covid-19 in Fiji, health authorities said.

The Government reported 1163 new cases and six deaths in the 24 hours to 8am on Friday.

That compares with 1301 cases and nine deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Health Secretary Dr James Fong said all the latest victims were unvaccinated. He said severe disease and death due to the coronavirus among infants were rare.

“However the doctors overseeing this baby’s care confirmed he did die because of Covid-19,” Dr Fong said. “And we know that once a very high level of infections is reached in the community, these rare events do occur. It is an absolute tragedy when the most vulnerable in our community, our babies, become victims of this awful disease.

“It is why we at the ministry are following the science and advice of WHO very closely with regards to the vaccination of those below the age of 18, and we are making arrangements to import more vaccines once we know they are proven to offer safe and effective protection for children against the virus.

“While we await these vaccines for the younger age group we also need to remind you that every time you vaccinate, you also help to protect those not eligible for vaccination — including our children.”

Dr Fong said a frontline worker was also among the dead, the second nurse to die this week.

“This is another frontliner colleague we knew and loved and our sympathies are extended to their families and to all families who have lost a loved one. She was not vaccinated. In line with Government policy, she was on leave at the time she became infected,” he said.

“As previously announced we have set our personal protective equipment (PPE) distribution programme to ensure that the large stocks we have are always readily available to all healthcare workers at the frontline, especially those who work in critical care units and emergency departments.

“By ensuring our healthcare workers are fully vaccinated, well trained in PPE use and are diligent in helping each other to maintain PPE discipline in the workplace, we will be able to maintain health worker numbers in all our health facilities.

“To date nobody has died in Fiji from Covid-19 after being fully vaccinated, we know this is the very best protection we can provide for our colleagues.”

Dr Fong said 80 per cent of the target population of about 600,000 have received one dose of the vaccine.

Fiji now has over 21,000 active cases in isolation.

The death toll is at 233, 231 of these from the latest outbreak that began in April.