COVID-19

Ministers from more than 160 WTO members were due to meet next week in the Swiss city of Geneva for an event seen as a test of the body's relevance.

WTO members reportedly took the decision at an urgent meeting held tonight.

Photo file 

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said the baby was referred to the Vunidawa Hospital about 50km out of Suva late last month with acute history of cough and fast breathing.

Dr Fong said the baby was then taken to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva where he was tested positive for Covid-19 and died two days after admission.

Fiji’s Covid-19 death toll now stands at 695.

The fully vaccinated rate of the eligible population now stands at 73.7 per cent or 89,818 people.

According to the Ministry of Health, 95.1 per cent of the population has received their first dose.

A total of 22023 people have received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and three people have taken both jabs.

The Pfizer vaccine is administered to children between the ages of 12 and 17, pregnant and lactating mothers.

The figures were released following the one-day Mass Vaccination Campaign on Friday.

Tuala and Leituao contracted the Covid-19 virus a few weeks ago in New Zealand and almost lost their lives.

Their experience as Covid-19 survivors is a strong testament to the fury of this killer virus.

They now continue to work together with the Samoan and Pacific Community in New Zealand to drive the vaccination campaign of Pacific Islanders.

Their encouraging message coincided with the assiduous efforts that teams of vaccinators deployed throughout the country yesterday the administration of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines.

The chair of the National Emergency Operational Centre, Agaifili Shem Leo, said more than 10,000 people have yet to receive their second dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine.

He said this Friday, 19th November, is not a public holiday.

Agaifili said during the last lockdown at the end of September, more than 13,000 received their first shot and this mass vaccination is targeting those that did not receive their second.

The mass vaccination is between 8am-6pm.

Seven of the total were recorded on Saturday, five on Sunday and 20 in the last 24 hours ending at 8am yesterday.

Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said the Ministry of Health recorded an additional 14 Covid-19 deaths between August 6th and September 19th, 2021.

All deaths were reported in the Western Division and no of the cases were vaccinated.

An analysis of the 14 deaths shows the individuals were aged between 46 to 84-years.

A team from the Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Team began dispatching the vaccine around Viti Levu yesterday in order for all vaccination centres to be ready for launch today.

Minister for Health Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete while receiving the Pfizer vaccine from the New Zealand High Commission reiterated the need for children to get vaccinated.

Permanent Secretary Doctor James Fong said this will also protect children who have not yet been vaccinated and are below that eligible age group.

"We are not taking this step lightly but it is necessary," Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said.

Unvaccinated people will only be able to leave home for a limited number of reasons, like working or buying food.

About 65% of Austria's population is fully vaccinated, one of the lowest rates in western Europe.

Meanwhile the seven-day infection rate is more than 800 cases per 100,000 people, one of the highest in Europe.

The Samoa Observer reports the mayor of Tuana'i village on Upolu island, Fa'alaeo Opeta, confirmed the hardline against unvaccinated residents to support government efforts to protect against coronavirus.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa announced on Friday that a second nationwide lockdown will be enforced next Friday to boost the vaccination campaign numbers.

Meanwhile the latest data released by the Ministry of Health, show more than 115,000 people or 95 percent of eligible people have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine as of 11 November.

There was no media conference today. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said there are 84 people in hospital, including 10 in intensive care.

There were no new cases at the border.

The ministry said 81 of today's cases are yet to be linked. There are 713 unlinked cases from the past 14 days.

The 25 new cases in Waikato include 15 who are known close contacts from a single household in Hamilton, where an earlier case had been confirmed and is already in isolation.

Eighteen of the 25 new cases have been linked.