Coronavirus

The group is part of a convoy which travelled to the capital yesterday to protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

Steel barriers have been put up in front of the protesters.

The crowd was still largely peaceful but some were heckling police and the temperature was starting to rise.

Protesters who spent the night camped on Parliament grounds have been warned they could be issued with a trespass notice.

About 1000 people and hundreds of vehicle converged on Parliament grounds yesterday, and at least 100 people camped overnight.

A 75-year-old man with pre-existing medical condition died at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva on the first of this month.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said the man was not fully vaccinated as he had only received one dose of the vaccine.

The other death is that of a 64-year-old man from the Central Division with a significant pre-existing medical condition.

He was admitted to the CWM Hospital on the third of this month and passed away a day later. He had only received the first dose of the vaccine.

Deakin University chair of epidemiology Catherine Bennett said at New South Wales' peak, the state had roughly 3.5 patients hospitalised with coronavirus per 10,000 residents.

By comparison, she calculated the Northern Territory (NT) now had roughly 6.32 Covid-related hospitalisations per 10,000 people.

Professor Bennett said the territory's high hospitalisation wasn't altogether surprising, considering many people in the NT had a "high risk profile".

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made a national address yesterday saying there are now 2790 cases in the country.

Sogavare said this was within 20 days of the country's first case of domestic transmission of the virus.

He said on Friday alone, health officials identified 430 cases.

Sogavare put the official death toll at 32 but other deaths are believed to have occurred at home.

The prime minister said all but three provinces have reported cases, and transmission was now widespread in the capital, Honiara.

Dr Hans Kluge cited high vaccination rates, the end of winter and the less severe nature of the Omicron variant.

Speaking to reporters, he said: "This period of higher protection should be seen as a 'ceasefire' that could bring us enduring peace."

It comes as a number of European nations end Covid-19 restrictions.

Dr Kluge said some 12 million new virus cases were detected across Europe last week - the highest recorded - but officials have not seen a significant spike in those needing critical hospital care.

The vaccination is being carried out until March.

Health Chief, Leausa Take Naseri said the booster dose is limited to people who completed the first two jabs of Covid-19 vaccine.

“If you’re thinking of doing a booster dose when you haven’t completed your first or second dose then I’m sorry booster dose is not for you,” he said at a recent press conference.

“If there’s another campaign to be announced then it’s surely for the booster dose but not for the 10 percent that hasn’t received their first two doses.”

The border will reopen to the same groups from the rest of the world only two weeks later on 13 March, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced today.  

The Government’s reconnecting plan will see all New Zealanders and key visa holders able to start to enter the country over the coming three months, assisting with the economic recovery and immediately address worker shortages. 

The baby was admitted at the CWM Hospital in Suva and her medical records reflected that she had a congenital medical condition that contributed to the severity of her illness and death on Monday.

All eight deceased were from the Central Division.

809 people have died due to COVID-19 in Fiji so far.

The Ministry of Health also recorded 95 new cases of which 83 are from n Tuesday and 12 new cases in the last 24 hours ending at 8 am yesterday.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. James Fong is urging all Fijians who are eligible to get vaccinated or take their booster shots.

Dr. Fong highlighted that the analysis of the first 95 deaths in the vaccine eligible population during this third wave has revealed that fully vaccinated adults have 16.2 times lower rate of death from Covid-19 than unvaccinated adults.

Minister of Health Culwick Togamana announced the figures from the last 24 hours (up to midday Monday) this evening which brings totals to 12 deaths and 1486 cases since the start of the outbreak just under a fortnight ago.

The majority of cases were still coming from the capital, Honiara, and Malaita Province, but suspected cases were starting to crop up in other parts of the country, Dr Togamana said.