Fiji is experiencing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases with 580 new cases over two days January 2-3. Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services confirmed community transmission of both the Omicron and Delta variants of the virus in the country. “As with previous variants, unvaccinated people are at higher risk of severe disease,” stated Fiji's Health Ministry. Fiji has recorded a total of 702 deaths from COVID-19. By Eleanor Gee.
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Results for Health
Wednesday 5 January 2022
Suva, Fiji
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Friday 24 December 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Youth aged 12-17 years who have not yet received their second doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are urged to get their second dose before the vaccines expire in the New Year. “There is no plan to get more Pfizer for them after 2 January,” said the Health CEO.
Wednesday 15 December 2021
Johannesburg, South Africa
New York Times reporting: An early study of coronavirus test results in South Africa suggests that, so far, patients infected with the omicron variant may be hospitalized less often than patients infected with earlier versions of the virus. The study — which was released Tuesday and is based on only three weeks of data — also shows that vaccines are not as effective against the variant, which poses a higher risk of breakthrough infections. Booster shots increased the Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy against infection.
Tuesday 14 December 2021
Wellington, New Zealand
New York Times reporting: New Zealand unveiled a plan Thursday to eventually ban all sales of cigarettes in the country, a decades-long effort unique in the world to prevent young people from taking up smoking. The proposal, expected to become law next year, would raise the smoking age year by year until it covers the entire population
Tuesday 30 November 2021
Edinburgh, Scotland
The damage caused by COVID-19 – exacerbated by the continued appearance of new variants, most recently Omicron – has been catastrophic. More than five million lives worldwide have already been lost to COVID-19, and with confirmed cases on track to swell from 260 million today to 460 million by next autumn, the World Health Organization estimates that five million more people may die from the disease in the coming months. While 95% of adults in low-income countries remain unprotected, by the end of 2021, 100 million vaccine doses in the G20 stockpile will pass their expiration date and be wasted. This is perhaps the greatest public policy failure of our times. So, when the World Health Assembly (WHA) gathers for a special session starting on November 29, its task is nothing less than preventing the recurrence of such a tragedy. By Gordon Brown.
Thursday 11 November 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's King Tupou VI assented the Vaccination (Amendment) Act 2021 and the Public Health (Amendment) Act 2021, giving government the power to declare that vaccination is compulsory. The Acts (16 & 17 0f 2021) were among 13 pieces of legislation Gazetted by the Tonga Government on 5 November. However, Health officials have said that vaccination will not be forced, while the focus now is for Tonga to attain a voluntary 70% vaccination of its 103,000 population by the end of 2021.
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Friday 29 October 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's PM confirmed one positive COVID-19 test among the 215 passengers who arrived in Tonga from Christchurch on Wednesday. The test was carried out yesterday and results confirmed today. The PM made the announcement on national radio at 5:30pm The first confirmed case in Tonga is in MIQ at the Tanoa Hotel. The carrier had been fully vaccinated.
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Tuesday 26 October 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Ministry of Health is in a race against time to inoculate 13,738 teenagers with Pfizer before the precious vaccines expire in 28 days time. Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau‘ola urges parents to ensure their 12 to 17-year-old children are inoculated “or they will miss out”.
Monday 25 October 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Health State of Emergency has been renewed for another month to prevent the spread of COVID-19, starting from 8:00pm today until 8:00pm November 22, the Prime Minister announced.
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Sunday 24 October 2021
Auckland, New Zealand
Ana Waalkens spent a week in Auckland City Hospital's intensive care unit after falling ill days after a growing Delta outbreak was discovered in Auckland in August - and before the 38-year-old was eligible to be vaccinated. Waalkens is telling her story because she wants everyone, especially fellow Pasifika - she has Tongan heritage - to get vaccinated so they don't suffer as she and her family had. Waalkens was fighting for her life. "My family and friends all thought I was going to die,” she said. By Cherie Howie, Reporter NZ Herald.
Monday 27 September 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Health State of Emergency has been renewed for another month to prevent the spread of COVID-19, starting from 8:00pm today until 8:00pm October 25, the Prime Minister announced today.
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Wednesday 8 September 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Ministry of Health today urged those aged 18 – 29 years to get their COVID-19 vaccinations, after it was revealed the age group had the lowest inoculation rate at 38% compared to older people. The Minister said they needed to speed up the vaccinations in order to resume the repatriations to Tonga. “The return of these people depends on how good our vaccination rate is. And if we take it slow just because no one here has the virus, they will continue to suffer.”
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Wednesday 4 August 2021
New York, USA
New York Times reporting: The rise of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus has raised new questions about how the vaccinated can stay safe and avoid breakthrough infections. We asked the experts for advice. As long as large numbers of people remain unvaccinated, vaccinated people will be exposed to the Delta variant. “Vaccinations give you that extra protection you wouldn’t normally have,” says Dr. Erin Bromage. “But when you hit a big challenge, like getting near an unvaccinated person who has a high viral load, that wall is not always going to hold.”
Tuesday 27 July 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Students and teachers from the FWC Primary School WASH Club in Nukunuku presented messages around water, sanitation, and hygiene in the form of art and songs today, Tuesday 27 July.
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Wednesday 30 June 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A repatriation flight with over 200 passengers arrived in Tonga this afternoon from Auckland, New Zealand. Another flight is expected to arrive this evening from Brisbane, Australia with no passengers but will take out seasonal workers and others.
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Thursday 24 June 2021
Suva, Fiji
Fiji has 279 new cases, their highest daily case count so far, indicating widespread community transmission, said Fiji's Health and Medical Services Head of Health Protection, Dr Aalisha Sahukhan on June 23, reporting four new deaths. To date 45% of Fijians have received one dose of vaccines, and 5% have received a second dose.
Friday 21 May 2021
Suva, Fiji
A total of 7,888 people are under quarantine, after health teams traced and tested primary and secondary contacts of existing COVID-19 cases during the Suva and Nausori four-day lockdown, according to Fiji's health officials on 18 May.
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Saturday 15 May 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u received their first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine this morning, Saturday 15 May 2021, at Vaiola Hospital, in Tongatapu.
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Monday 10 May 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Public Health Emergency has been renewed to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID-19 within Tonga, starting from 8:00pm today until 8:00pm 7 June.
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Monday 10 May 2021
New York, USA
The combination of export bans, hoarding, and supply shortages has meant that COVAX has so far managed to deliver only one in five of the Oxford-AstraZeneca doses that were supposed to arrive in countries by the end of this month. At this rate, advanced economies will be able to vaccinate their entire populations before many low-income countries even begin their vaccine rollout. By Rosalind McKenna