Maldives reports 211 new Covid-19 cases, 912 recoveries

Maldives confirmed 211 new infections and 912 recoveries from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic over the past 24 hours.

According to the latest statistics released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), a total of 3,415 samples were tested for Covid-19 between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday.

The new infections include 54 in the Greater Malé Region, 132 from residential islands and 25 from operational resorts.

This pushes Maldives Covid-19 case tally to 71,709.

The nearly 1,000 recoveries reported by sundown on Saturday has pushed the number of recoveries observed nationwide to 66,090.

Further, HPA confirmed that the country’s active Covid-19 tally has dropped to 5,403 from 6,106 in a single day.

Over the past 24 hours, seven Covid-19 patients were moved from hospitals, meaning that there are 46 patients currently receiving in-hospital treatment.

The Covid-19 caseload began spiking into the beginning of May, at a time Maldives was able to control a spike in cases into the beginning of the new year, with strengthened measures such as a curfew period and travel restrictions. However, authorities lifted the measures in place in time for the fasting month of Ramadan 1442 as well as the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee elections held in mid-April, which led to the caseload increasing like never observed before.

Measures were strengthened across the Maldives earlier in May with authorities having imposed a curfew in the capital region from 4pm to 4am. Effective May 26, the curfew hours were extended from 4pm to 8am and authorities also imposed movement restrictions for capital region residents outside the curfew hours. The Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) revealed that special permits are required to go out from 8am to 4pm. Since then, the measures have been extended two times round and was last extended for another fortnight from June 15.

However, the public health authority on June 15 Tuesday reduced curfew hours in the capital region from 4pm to 4am.

Some of the other restrictions that will be eased include allowing individual exercises in public between 4am to 8am without the need for a permit.

Mosques across the capital region will be opened for individual prayers. Schools as well as offices and state institutions are to remain closed for another fortnight, as well as the halt on sports activities.

Dr. Nazla added that the public health authorities are working to publicize special guidelines under which salons and barber shops may resume services. Further, construction work will also be allowed to resume under the set guidelines and a special permit issued by the city council.

While some eases were announced on Tuesday, no changes have been made to domestic travel, between Malé City and residential islands. The travel restrictions will remain effective including the restrictions on travelers from South Asian countries.

Maldives remains in a state of public health emergency since 12 March 2020 which was last extended to expire on 3 July.