Five people have now died from COVID-19 following the death of a 73-year-old patient at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva on Monday.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says the deceased tested positive 12 days ago, but had been admitted at CWM for almost a month.

He was diagnosed with a severe non COVID illness, and his prognosis was poor.

However Dr Fong confirms this has been classified as a COVID death.

This is the third death under the current outbreak.

The Health Ministry has extended its condolences to the family of the deceased.

Seven COVID-19 positive patients have died from non-COVID related illnesses.