A 61-year-old man passed away on Monday night at the Isolation Unit at the Lautoka Hospital due to complications from COVID-19.
The Acting Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr. James Fong says the man contracted the virus while in the US.
He says the man arrived in Fiji from Sacramento on the 6th of this month where he was immediately taken into quarantine, and developed symptoms of COVID-19 after entering the Fijian border quarantine facility.
Dr. Fong says the man was then transferred to their isolation unit at Nadi Hospital.
His condition worsened and he was transferred to the isolation unit at Lautoka Hospital and according to Dr. Fong, despite the best efforts of the health care professionals, the man passed away on Monday.
He says they feel this loss across the Ministry but they are taking some solace with the fact that this man was able to return to Fiji where he has been laid to rest at his home.
Dr. Fong says they delayed the announcement of the second fatality until yesterday afternoon out of respect for the family as they had requested to hold the burial before they were thrust into national spotlight.
Dr. Fong says they were all shocked when the Fiji Sun jumped the gun with the news report of the man’s passing away even when he had specifically stressed to Fiji Sun to hold the news report for the sake of the man’s loved ones.
Fong says he had personally spoken to the newspaper staff who released the report.
Dr. Fong says the latest fatality does not pose a risk to the public.
He says it is 129 days since Fiji recorded a new case COVID-19 in our community and they aim to maintain that unbroken streak and all health personnel directly involved with the care of the patients have adhered to strict infection prevention and control protocols.
Dr. Fong confirms that each health staff will go undergo quarantine in a government designated facility and all the health personnel must clear a negative COVID-19 test before they can be released out in the community.
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