Fiji records 241 new COVID-19 cases and another death

Fiji has recorded 241 new COVID-19 cases in the 24-hour period ending at 8.00am yesterday (Monday), and another death of a 50-year-old man.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that five cases are corrections officers from Suva at the Fiji Sugar Corporation Compound in Rakiraki in the north of the main island of Viti Levu.

Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said they were undergoing 14 days quarantine at the FSC compound as part of the essential movement from the red zone to the green zone when they tested positive.

The remaining cases are from the Lami-Suva-Nausori containment zone.

There are 106 cases from existing areas of interest and 17 from the following new areas of interest: Fiji Times office, Food City supermarket Suva, Matanisivoro Settlement, National Kidney Centre in Nadera, Nasinu, Suva City Council office and Tamavua-i-Wai.

Doctor Fong said the remaining cases are contacts of known cases, cases that were seen in screening clinics and were swabbed, and cases under investigation to determine possible sources of transmission.

The Ministry has reported a new COVID-19 death.

A 50-year-old man from Newtown, Nasinu was declared dead on arrival by doctors at the Valelevu Health Centre.

He was reported to be in severe respiratory distress before death.

Doctor Fong said according to protocol he was swabbed at the health centre, and tested positive.

His death has been classified as a COVID-19 death by the doctors at the health centre.

He had received the first dose of the vaccine early this month and was not fully vaccinated.

Fiji has now recorded 17 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 15 of these deaths current outbreak that started in April.

There have been 26 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 3027 active cases in isolation.

There have been 3, 726 cases during the outbreak that started in April.

The Ministry has recorded a total of 3, 832 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 779 recoveries.