FULL STORY: 72.5% adults in Fiji are now fully vaccinated

592,242 adults in Fiji have so far received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 448,128 people are now fully vaccinated.

This means that 95.8% adults have received at least one dose while 72.5% are now fully vaccinated.

The Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says that since dose one is beyond 95%, a verification exercise for dose one is ongoing which may result in minor changes.

The Health Ministry has also recorded three COVID-19 deaths from 24th July to 5th September and there are 81 new cases of COVID-19 for the 24 hour period that ended at 8 am today.

Dr Fong says these deaths are being reported today due to a delay in the issuance of the official death certificates.

The first COVID-19 death is a 75-year-old man from Nausori who presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress. He died on the same day. He was not vaccinated.

The second COVID-19 death is a 72-year-old man from Tailevu. He presented to a medical facility in severe respiratory distress.

Dr Fong says a medical team retrieved him from the medical facility and transferred him to the CWM Hospital where he died 16 days after admission on 5th September.

He received the first dose of the vaccine in mid-July. He did not receive the second dose of the vaccine which means he was not fully vaccinated.

The third death is a 69-year-old woman from Suva who died at home on 31st August. She was not vaccinated.

There have been 9 more deaths of COVID-19 positive patients however these deaths have been classified as non-COVID deaths by doctors.

There have now been 624 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji with 622 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year.

There are now 12,881 active cases.