The Ministry of Health has confirmed there are now 17 active COVID-19 cases on Malolo Island.

These include the two announced yesterday, with the Ministry expecting more cases.

The investigation by the Ministry found more than 20 people had recently engaged in unauthorized travel from Viti Levu to the Island.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says a medical team from Lautoka has travelled to Malolo Island to assist the onsite medical team with the necessary response, including isolation of cases, contact tracing, and quarantine of contacts.

In the last 24-hour period ending at 8am yesterday, Fiji recorded 255 new infections. 138 cases are from the West and 117 are from the Central Division.

Six more people have died from COVID-19 between 22nd and 24th August.

Three deaths are from the Central Division and three are from the West.

A 47-year-old man from Naitasiri died home, while the second death involves a 74-year-old man from Ba.

An 80-year-old man from Sigatoka died at home, while an 80-year-old man from Suva died at the CWM Hospital seven days after admission.

An 85-year-old man from Tailevu and a 65-year-old from Ba died at home due to COVID-19.

Five of the deceased were not vaccinated at all while one had received his first dose.

There have been five more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients, however these deaths have been classified as non-COVID.

A total of 459 people have died due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 457 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April.

Doctor Fong says 271 COVID-19 positive patients has also died from serious medical conditions they had before they contracting the virus.

There are currently 19,107 active cases.

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