There were 72 new cases of COVID-19 for the 24-hour period that ended at 8 am yesterday.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says there have been 32 new recoveries which means that there are now 12,982 active cases.

There have been 50,200 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021, with 36,290 recoveries.

Doctor Fong says three people died from COVID-19 on the 15th and 16th of July.

All three were from the Central Division and were unvaccinated.

Three more positive patients died from serious pre-existing medical conditions.

There have now been 579 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 577 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year.

419 COVID-19 positive patients have died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted the virus.

Doctor Fong adds 108 patients admitted to the hospital. 40 are at the Lautoka Hospital, 68 at CWM hospital, St Giles, and in Makoi. Nine patients are considered to be in severe condition, and two are in critical condition.