23 Jul 2021

Covid-19 in Fiji: 15 more deaths, 918 positive cases confirmed

9:22 am on 23 July 2021

Fifteen more deaths, including that of a 102-year-old woman, and 918 positive cases have been confirmed by Fijian health officials in the 24 hours to 8am yesterday.

That compares to 1,091 infections and 21 deaths in the previous 24-hour period.

Residents waiting outside a vaccination centre for their AstraZeneca dose against Covid-19 in Suva, 9 July 2021.

Photo: AFP

The government also confirmed the latest deaths included those previously listed as under investigation to determine the cause.

All but three of the victims were unvaccinated against Covid-19, Health Secretary Dr James Fong said last night.

He said majority of the patients died at home, while there were others who had not received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Fiji now has 16,403 active cases in isolation, with 161 deaths - 159 of them from this latest outbreak that began in April.

  • A 75-year-old woman from the capital Suva died at home on 21 July.
  • A 49-year-old man from Nadera in Nasinu died at home on 20 July.
  • An 83-year-old man from Tovata, Nasinu, also died at home on 20 July.
  • A 44-year-old man from Cunningham presented to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in severe respiratory distress on 22 July. He died on the same day in hospital.
  • A 60-year-old man from Narere, Nasinu, died at home on 21 July. He had received the first dose of the vaccine in early-July.
  • A 63-year-old man from Nabua died at home on 20 July. He received the first dose of the vaccine in mid-June.
  • A 68-year-old man from Nadera died at home on 19 July. He had received the first dose of the vaccine in late June.
  • A 63-year-old man from Waimanu Road in Suva died at home on 20 July.
  • An 84-year-old man from Kalekana in Lami died at home on 20 July.
  • A 53-year-old man from Toorak, Suva, died at home on 20 July.
  • A 63-year-old woman from Vatuwaqa, Suva, died at home on 20 July.
  • A 56-year-old man from Makoi, Nasinu, died at home on 20 July.
  • A 72-year-old woman from Narere presented to the FEMAT field hospital in severe respiratory distress on 21 July. She died on the same day at the hospital.
  • A 102-year-old woman from Cunningham died at home on 20 July.
  • An 80-year-old man from Cautata Village in Tailevu Province died at home on 21 July.
Dr James Fong.

Dr James Fong. Photo: Facebook/Fiji govt

Dr Fong said there had been seven more deaths of Covid-19 positive patients.

But he said these deaths had been classified as not caused by the virus.

"Doctors have determined that these deaths were caused by serious pre-existing medical conditions and not Covid-19," he said.

"We also have recorded 68 Covid-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted Covid; these are not classified as Covid-19 deaths.

"There have been 179 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 16,403 active cases. There have been 21,291 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 21,361 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 4729 recoveries."

Dr Fong said one death was under investigation to determine the cause.

Here are some statistics

  • 918 new cases as of 8am, July 22
  • 15 deaths recorded from July 19-21
  • 1 death under investigation
  • 161 deaths recorded, 159 of these recorded during the outbreak that started in April this year
  • 68 positive patients died from serious medical conditions they had before they contracted the virus (these are not classified as Covid-19 deaths)
  • 179 new recoveries reported since the last update
  • 16,403 active cases
  • 21,291 cases recorded during the outbreak that started in April 2021
  • 21,361 cases in total recorded in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 4729 recoveries.

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