Fiji health ministry stresses adoption of COVID-19 safe measures as cases decrease

SUVA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong highlighted the importance of high vigilance and maintaining community-wide adoption of COVID-19 safe measures were appropriate despite the country continuing to see a persistent decrease in cases.

Fiji recorded 19 new cases of COVID-19 since the health ministry's last update on Sept. 8.

He stressed that immunization remains the only means to reduce the spread of the virus and protect the vulnerable in the communities, and urged the eligible Fijians to get their booster doses, according to report by local media FBC news website.

The ministry is currently targeting an 80 percent booster coverage for those above 18 years of age.

The Pacific Island country, with a population of around 900,000, has recorded more than 68,000 COVID-19 cases with 878 deaths since January 2020, according to the World Health Organization.