Fiji urges more jabs as COVID deaths rise

Fiji's leader is urging people to get vaccinated as the island nation contends with a devastating outbreak of the delta variant of the coronavirus.

Relative to its population of less than a million people, Fiji's outbreak is currently among the worst in the world.

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the nation's mission was to vaccinate 80 per cent of adults by the end of October. About 47 per cent of Fijians have had at least one vaccination dose.

He said "lies, misinformation, and unholy insanity" about the vaccine were endangering people.

Fiji has reported a record 1285 new cases in its latest daily update. It has reported 193 deaths since the outbreak began in April.

Fiji has also reported a further 101 deaths of COVID-19-positive patients that it's not classifying as coronavirus deaths because the patients had underlying conditions.

Before the April outbreak, Fiji had recorded just two COVID-19 deaths.