Health Ministry officials who would have spent the festive season with their families are now on-call to protect lives and mitigate community transmission, says Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong.
He said this in a virus update issued on Friday where he announced 109 new cases with 68 recorded in the Northern Division, 30 in the Western Division with 14 border quarantine cases, and 11 in the Central Division.
“The increasing number of people testing COVID-19 positive in the Northern Division means the Health Ministry and the health care staff in the North will be escalating the measures in place aimed at protecting residents of Vanua Levu from the severe effects of COVID-19,” said Dr Fong.
“Our health care workers, supported by other government officials from various government agencies in the North, will over this festive season be tracing contacts, caring for patients who develop severe disease, monitoring individuals under isolation, and spending time away from their families.
“I urge the public to co-operate with health care workers and adhere to our COVID-safe measures to ensure that this surge in COVID-19 positive cases in the Northern Division is managed and contained.”
Dr Fong called on all individuals in the provinces of Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata to practise responsible social gatherings and diligently adhere to the COVID-19 safe measures.
“Be wise about your social gatherings, and postpone them if you can,” he said.
“During these pandemic times, it is best that you remain at home and celebrate with your loved ones, rather than gather in large numbers and potentially put at risk the vulnerable members of your families; including those who are unvaccinated.”
