COVID-19 cases

That compares to 784 cases and 15 deaths in the previous 24-hour period.

The government also confirmed 12 more deaths between 13 and 19 July, taking the death toll to 125 with 123 of these from the latest outbreak that began in April.

Health Secretary James Fong said seven of the 12 victims had died at home, with one patient receiving one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The rest were unvaccinated.

There are now nearly 15,000 active cases in isolation.

The iPhone-maker had intended to bring workers in for three days a week from September but this had now been put back until at least October, the news agency said.

Sources told Bloomberg employees would be given at least a month's notice before having to return.

BBC News has asked Apple for comment.

Apple's plans for a return to the office had been met with firm opposition from some staff.

In June, chief executive Tim Cook sent a company-wide memo telling workers they would have to return to their desks.

The new cases were among the 1043 infections confirmed by the ministry on Sunday.

Over 14-thousand positive people are in isolation in the western and central divisions.

Health Secretary James Fong said the five patients are being isolated at the Levuka Hospital.

He said three of them were recorded on Ovalau while the other two on Gau.

He said the ministry is working with the Lomaiviti Provincial Council to monitor the situation on both islands.

That compares to 1220 cases and 10 deaths in the previous 24-hour period.

The government also confirmed six more deaths last night, taking the death toll to 80 - 78 of these from the latest outbreak that began in April.

Health Secretary Dr James Fong said all six patients were unvaccinated.

"A 58-year old man from Tacirua presented to a medical facility on Wednesday with severe Covid symptoms including shortness of breath. His condition worsened at the health centre and he died on the same day.

Authorities are still discussing how many days it will last. It is not yet known if the lockdown will also apply to regional Victoria.

It will be the fifth lockdown since the pandemic began and the third this year.

Mask rules were already tightened overnight to respond to the outbreak, which is now linked to 16 cases.

Two of those were confirmed this morning, adding to the 10 included in yesterday's numbers.

The new cases are understood to have acquired the virus at an AFL game at the MCG on Saturday which was also attended by a COVID-positive case.

That compares to 873 cases and three deaths in the previous 24-hour update.

The Health Ministry also announced last night a 58-year-old man from Delaivalelevu had died at home.

The man's family reported that he had been feeling unwell for one week.

Health Secretary James Fong said the man had received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in mid-June but was yet to get the second jab when he died.

Fiji now has 9725 active cases in isolation and 59 deaths reported, with 57 of them from this latest outbreak that began in April.

That compares to 506 cases and one death in the previous 24-hour period.

The Health Ministry said all four patients were unvaccinated.

On Friday, the ministry announced 860 positive cases and three deaths. All three patients were also not vaccinated against the virus.

Fiji now has 8576 active cases in isolation with 55 deaths - all but two of them from the latest outbreak which began in April this year. There has been a total of 10,512 COVID cases in Fiji since March, 2020.

Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Dr James Fong said there have been 101 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 7,138 active cases.

Dr Fong added that there have been 8,591 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021.

He said five of the patients who died were not vaccinated while one received only the first jab of the vaccine.

The virus is taking its toll on the elderly population with two women aged 80 succumbing to COVID-19.

The other cases are aged between 44 and 68 years.

The New South Wales state government reported 38 cases in its capital on Thursday, pushing the case number of this Delta outbreak over 370.

Authorities said people were breaching lockdown rules by going to other households.

They have pleaded with residents to abide by the stay-at-home order.

"We just need people to stop interacting for this lockdown to work," said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Fiji’s Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said the first COVID-19 death is a 54-year-old man from Naikurukuru, Lami.

He was declared dead on arrival by the attending medical officer at the CWM Hospital Emergency Department.

His family reported that the individual had been unwell for at least a week with fever, headache and generalized weakness.

He was not vaccinated.

Dr Fong said the second COVID-19 death was a 62-year-old woman from Davuilevu who died at home.