61.9% of the target population have received at least one dose of AstraZeneca and 11.7% are now fully vaccinated

362,969 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 68,819 have received their second doses.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says this means that 61.9 percent of the target population have received at least one dose and 11.7 percent are now fully vaccinated nationwide.

Meanwhile, the 7-day average of new cases per day is 698 cases per day or 788 cases per million population per day.

Doctor Fong says with daily increases in cases we are also seeing increasing cases of severe COVID-19 and increasing deaths.

He says sadly, people with severe COVID-19 are still dying at home or they are coming to a medical facility in the late stages of severe illness.

Doctor Fong stresses that severe COVID-19 is a medical emergency, and a delay in receiving appropriate medical treatment reduces your chance of recovering from the disease.

He says severe symptoms of COVID-19 include difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, severe headache for a few days, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake; and pale, gray, or blue-coloured skin, lips or nail beds.

If you or a loved one have any of these symptoms please go immediately to your nearest medical facility or call 165 if unable to get to a medical facility.