The World Health Organization has warned that widespread community transmission gives more opportunities for the virus to mutate into different variants.
Fiji has been experiencing a widespread transmission for 3 days now.
The World Health Organisation Director General Doctor Tedros Adhanom says that urgent action is needed to halt transmission as it creates new variants.
“More transmission – more variant; less transmission-less variant. That makes it even more urgent that we use all the tools at our disposal to prevent transmission.”
Dr Adhanom further warned that more deaths will take place if health systems are stretched beyond their capacity.
“More cases means more hospitalization, further stretching health workers and health systems which increases the risk of death.”
Dr Michael Ryan, the Executive Director WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme says that there are still uncertainties in relation to the COVID vaccines.
“There are uncertainties regarding the extent to which vaccination prevents infection or the transmission of the disease.”
Meanwhile FBC News sent questions to the Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong who confirmed that Fiji is still dealing with the delta strain of COVID-19.
However there is no confirmation yet if and when they will test and investigate for further variants during this outbreak.
