The Ministry of Health in its latest COVID updates says it has recorded five deaths.

An 89-year-old female from Taveuni who had pre-existing medical conditions died of COVID-19 on January 4th.

The second COVID-19 death is of a 55-year-old male from Nausori who also had pre-existing medical condition. He also died on January 4th.

A 61-year-old female from Caubati died last Thursday while an 83-year-old female from Suva who was fully vaccinated died on Friday.

The fifth COVID-19 death is of a 27-year-old man from Nausori.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says he had a significant predisposing medical condition that was assessed by the attending doctors to have contributed to his death.

The Ministry also recorded 1,280 new cases, of which 348 cases were recorded on the 6th, 320 were recorded on the 7th, and 612 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, ending at 8 am yesterday morning.

Of the 1,280 cases, 619 were recorded in the Central Division, 535 were recorded in the Western Division, 114 in the Northern Division, and 12 in the Eastern Division.