Two more locals have succumbed to Covid-19 complications in the Maldives.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirmed that the patients, both men and admitted at Hulhumalé Medical Facility for treatment, passed away early Tuesday.

As such, a 66-year-old was declared the 143rd Covid-19 victim at 1:01am on Tuesday, whereas the 144th victim was identified as an 89-year-old.

HPA reported the deaths of five more Covid-19 patients after sundown on Monday, before which the Covid-19 death toll was at 137.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began sweeping across the globe on 7 March 2020, Maldives saw the highest number of single-day deaths linked to the virus, on Monday.

As such, the 138th Covid-19 death was reported at 6:48pm when a 41-year-old local woman was pronounced dead by doctors at the Hulhumalé Medical Facility.

Monday’s deaths include an 86-year-old man, a Japanese national who was declared as the 139th Covid-19 victim after he passed away at 7:53pm while receiving treatment at Hulhumalé Medical Facility.

The 140th Covid-19 fatality followed a few hours later when an 83-year-old local man was pronounced dead by doctors at the Addu Covid Management Facility at 10:20pm.

Yet another dead was reported at 11:27pm when an 80-year-old local woman succumbed to Covid-19 complications while receiving treatment at Hulhumalé Medical Facility. She was declared the 141st Covid-19 victim.

At half past 11pm authorities confirmed the death of a 58-year-old local man who was admitted at Hulhumalé Medical Facility for Covid-19 treatment.

With this development the country’s total coronavirus death toll has been pushed to 144. The pandemic has claimed 95 lives in the Maldives during 2021, 71 of which have been reported thus far in May. This is the highest number of deaths to have been reported in a month since the pandemic began.

HPA continues to report alarming numbers of Covid-19 fatalities across the Maldives, as the country struggles to control a devastating surge in daily infections being reported over recent weeks. Maldives is currently experiencing a devastating Covid-19 peak like never observed before, with daily infections soaring above 1,000 over recent days.

Authorities earlier stressed that Covid-19 fatalities had doubled in count since January 2021. As such, while four deaths were observed in January, the number increased to 10 during February. Six Covid-19 fatalities were reported during March as well as April.

With an alarming spike in case count over the past few days, hospitalizations are also increasing in comparison to the past month. Currently there are 282 Covid-19 patients hospitalized for treatment. There has been increasing concern over hospital beds filling up across the Maldives capital, hit hardest by the pandemic.

Maldives active Covid-19 tally is currently over 24,000 with the country’s total case count exceeding the 57,000-mark. Authorities have imposed strict measures in the capital region as well as in outlying atolls in light of the spiking cases. As such authorities strengthened measures to be effective from Wednesday onwards. The curfew period has been extended from 4pm to 8am and individuals will only be allowed to go out outside of the curfew hours, under a special permit.