The number of COVID-19 infections recorded in the Yasawa islands continues to increase with 21 cases reported in the 24-hour period ending at 8am yesterday.

The Ministry of Health recorded 253 cases of COVID-19 in its latest update which includes 163 cases in the Western Division, 59 from the Central and 31 cases were reported in Kadavu.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says of the cases recorded in the West, two are children from Solevu village on Malolo island.

Investigation reveals a possible link to the index cases, and this brings the total number of positive cases to 37.

The Ministry also reported three new COVID-19 deaths between 31st August to September 2nd of which two were recorded in the Western Division and one in Central Division.

A 43-year-old unvaccinated man from Nadi was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the Nadi Hospital.

The second COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old unvaccinated man from Sigatoka who was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the Sigatoka Hospital.

The third COVID-19 death is a 71-year-old unvaccinated man from Suva who was also declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the CWM Hospital Emergency Department.

Dr Fong says there have been two more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients which has been classified as non-COVID deaths.

There have been 163 new recoveries since the last update, which means that there are now 16,352 active cases of which 5,021 are in the Central Division, 11,025 in the West, five in the North and 301 in the Eastern Division.

As of yesterday, 565,239 or 96.4 percent adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 291,647 or 49.7 percent have received their second doses.

The Permanent Secretary for Health says there are currently 221 COVID-19 patients admitted in hospitals around Viti Levu.

98 patients are admitted at the Lautoka Hospital, 18 at the FEMAT field hospital, and 105 are admitted at CWM hospital, St Giles, and Makoi.

Dr Fong says 16 patients are considered to be in severe condition, and 10 are in critical condition.

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