pneumonia

Head paediatrician Papalii Kamu Tito said the girl has been taken home after being in an induced coma for five days.

The toddler was fighting for her life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for over a week. Papalii and his team were not sure she would make it.

"She had Covid-19 and so that did not help with her condition as she suffered from severe pneumonia, we had to put her in a coma to allow her body to heal. She was in a critical condition. It is a miracle she is alive," said Papali'i.

The Chief Medical Officer, Bernard Fouke, says there has been a number of people living in close proximity with different populations, which was the most likely reason for the surge in illness.

Dr Fouke told the Cook Islands News that hundreds of people have been struck by illness, but that few of them are sick enough to require hospital treatment.

He says the increase in illness was anticipated and well handled by authorities on Rarotonga.