Eleven more people have died from the coronavirus in Fiji, health authorities said last night.
.. Photo: Fiji govt
The government also confirmed 468 positive cases in the last 24 hours to 8am yesterday.
That compares to 918 infections and 15 deaths in the previous 24-hour period.
Health Secretary Dr James Fong said all but four of the victims were not vaccinated against Covid-19.
The 11 deaths were recorded between 19 and 21 July, he said.
* An 82-year-old woman from Samabula in the capital Suva died at home on 22 July.
* A 56-year-old woman from Vatuwaqa, Suva, also died at home on 22 July.
* A 64-year-old man from Nasinu died at home on 21 July.
* An 85-year-old woman from Cunningham died at home on 22 July.
* A 51-year-old man from Tacirua also died at home on 22 July.
* A 79-year-old woman from Lami died at home on 22 July.
* A 63-year-old man from Davuilevu in Nausori died at home on 22 July.
* A 66-year-old man from Nausori presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress. He was brought to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital on 23 July. His condition worsened in the hospital and he died two days later.
* A 40-year-old man from Kalokolevu Village died at home on 22 July.
* An 84-year-old man from Caubati, Nasinu, also died at home on 22 July.
* A 63-year-old woman from Toorak, Suva, died at home on 23 July.
A soldier helps mobile screening teams carry out door-to-door tests in Suva. Photo: Supplied/Fiji govt
Seven other Covid-19 positive patients had died, however Dr Fong said their deaths were not caused by the virus but due to serious pre-existing medical conditions.
He said one death is being investigated.
Village in lockdown
A village near Fiji's western town of Rakiraki has been placed under a 14-day lockdown after a positive case of Covid-19 was detected last weekend.
Rewasa Village has about 300 residents and is 15 minutes away from Rakiraki.
Dr Fong said the positive person had come from outside the town to visit her father.
Dr Fong said people coming from outside Rakiraki should inform residents in advance of their visit and they should be swabbed by the Ministry of Health.
The lockdown came into effect on Wednesday.
Screening, testing and vaccination
A total of 6252 individuals were screened and 1979 swabbed at the health ministry's clinics in the last 24 hours.
This brings the total to 349,222 individuals screened and 63,950 swabbed to date.
"Our mobile screening teams screened a total of 4015 individuals and swabbed 875 in the last 24 hours," Dr Fong said. "This brings our cumulative total to 734,716 individuals screened and 64,812 swabbed by our mobile teams to date.
"A total of 243,743 samples have been tested since this outbreak started in April 2021, with 286,604 tested since March 2020. 3747 tests have been reported for 21 July.
"The national seven-day daily test average is 3742 tests per day or 4.2 tests per 1000 population.
.. Photo: Fiji govt
Dr Fong said Fiji's seven-day average daily test positivity is 28.8 percent. The World Health Organisation (WHO) test positivity threshold is five percent.
He said as of 22 July, 428,524 Fijians or 73 percent of the target population had received their first dose of the vaccine and 90,531 or 15.4 percent had received their second jab.
Fiji Covid-19 facts
468 new cases
11 deaths reported from 19-21 July
7 positive patients die of pre-existing medical conditions
172 deaths, 170 of these were recorded during the outbreak that started in April this year
75 positive patients died from the serious medical conditions they had before they contracted the virus (these are not classified as Covid deaths)
792 new recoveries reported since the last update
16,061 active cases in isolation
21,759 cases recorded during the outbreak that started in April 2021
21,829 cases recorded in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020.
5521 recoveries
1 death under investigation.