COVID-19 cases

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian did not mince her words yesterday when she described the past week as the "most serious moment for the state" since the pandemic began.

There have so far been 49 locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the state since a limousine driver tested positive last Wednesday, and more infections are expected to be announced at 11:00am today.

"We're dealing with a virus that is extremely contagious," Ms Berejiklian said.

Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said of the new cases, 297 are from the Lami-Nausori Containment Zone, and 11 are from Tramline Nadi.

218 of the cases in Lami-Suva-Nausori are from existing areas of interest, including 153 from Qauia settlement in Lami.

12 cases are from new areas of interest that include Goodman Fielder, Goundar Shipping Company, Nausori Police Barracks, and St. Giles Hospital.

The remaining cases are contacts of known cases, or cases that were seen in screening clinics and were swabbed.

Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Dr James Fong said out of the new cases, 46 are from existing containment zones or quarantine facilities in Nadi.

The remaining 233 cases are from the Lami-Nausori Containment Zone which includes Suva.

Of this total, 196 cases are from existing areas of concern.

Dr Fong added that this means they are either from known clusters or they have a potential link to an existing case.

All 279 of these new patients are currently in isolation at home or in a facility.

This was recorded in the 24-hour period ending 8am today.

Of the 180 cases, 168 are from the Lami – Nausori containment area, 11 cases are from the Western Division and one case in Korovou, Tailevu.

The country recorded 126 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday with one death.

The Ministry of Health says the 42-year old man died at the CWM Hospital in Suva.

He was admitted to the hospital with leptospirosis and also tested positive for COVID-19 during his admission.

This is after the country recorded 166 new positive cases and a death yesterday.

Ministry of Health and Medical Services permanent secretary James Fong admitted that community transmission was now 'broad.'

The latest death is a 77 year-old man detected by a CWM screening team at his home where he had been bed ridden for several months.

Despite that he had pre-existing medical conditions, doctors assessing clinical data have attributed the cause of death to Covid-19.

He represents the 7th to die from the virus, the fifth in this outbreak alone.

The Health Ministry said six other patients had died from existing chronic conditions they had while being admitted at the country's main hospital in Suva.

This has raised some concern among Fijians who are calling for an explanation over what constitutes a COVID-19 death.

Health Secretary James Fong said the four patients had since died with illnesses directly related to their COVID-positive status.

Six patients died at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital since an outbreak at the facility was announced on June 1.

Both new cases are primary close contacts of existing cases, with no community exposure during their infectious period, Victorian health authorities said.

The results were detected from among 16,932 test results processed on Sunday, when 13,764 vaccination doses were delivered at state-run sites.

On Sunday, Sutton said the state remained on course for an easing of restrictions this week, but urged more people to present for testing amid concern some Covid-19 cases could be flying under the radar.

32 of the new cases are linked to existing clusters with the highest number of 11 cases reported in the country’s largest hospital, CWM in Suva.

The cases at CWM has forced the Ministry of Health to relook at the delivery of services and close the Emergency Services Department.

The public is being referred to a field hospital set up by the Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team.

According to the ministry, there are an additional seven cases which are under investigation to determine if they have any links to other cases.

All the new cases are from existing clusters including seven from the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Nabua, three from the CWM Hospital in Suva and three from the Nawaka, Nadi cluster.

Fourteen patients have recovered, which means there are now 323 active cases. There have been 438 cases since this outbreak started in April 2021.

Fiji has had 508 cases in total since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 181 recoveries and 4 deaths.

Victoria has recorded five new locally acquired cases of coronavirus as the state enters its second day of a snap lockdown.

The five new cases were detected from 56,624 test results processed on Friday, an apparent record for the state.

The outbreak linked to Melbourne's northern suburbs had grown to 30 cases yesterday. Further information about whether the five new cases are linked to the cluster is expected later today.

There are now 45 active cases of COVID-19 in the state, which includes another two recorded in hotel quarantine.