[File Photo]

The Health Ministry recorded 18 new COVID-19 cases and zero deaths for the last three days.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says 11 new cases were recorded on Tuesday and four new cases in the last 24 hours ending at 8 am yesterday.

Of the 18 cases recorded, six cases were recorded in the Central Division; 12 cases were recorded in the Western Division; and nil cases in the North and Eastern Divisions.

Dr Fong stated that at present, we do not have any admissions as a direct cause of COVID-19.

However, seven admissions have been tested as COVID positive but are admitted for other diseases.

He adds that using the World Health Organization clinical severity classification for the seven patients who were admitted for other diseases but tested positive for COVID-19, there are nil cases in the severe and critical categories.

The PS also maintained several public health mandates and measures related to vaccination and incoming travel.

Dr Fong has reiterated that the ministry envisions that the more people get vaccinated with the booster doses, the better the level of protection, and the safer it will become to remove the remaining public health measures further.

For this to happen, he stated that the ministry is currently targeting an 80 per cent booster coverage for those over 18 years of age.

He also highlighted that the team is in the process of reviewing Fiji’s public health measures given the current persistent favorable trends in case numbers and severe outcomes.