Covid-19: Maldives capital sees lowest single-day rise in weeks

Maldives has confirmed the lowest single-day rise in Covid-19 cases across the congested capital city, in weeks.

According to the latest statistics released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) a total of 253 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed nationwide over the past 24 hours.

The new cases were confirmed out of the 5,296 samples tested positive for Covid-19 between 6pm Sunday and 6pm Monday.

Statistics revealed that the new cases include include 35 in the Greater Malé Region, 164 from residential islands and three from operational resorts. Further, HPA also confirmed 43 new infections from islands under development and eight from islands reserved for industrial purposes.

Maldives Covid-19 case tally sits at 72,149 as of sundown on Monday.

With 769 patients having observed full recoveries from the infection within a single day, total number of recoveries observed nationwide since March 2020 has risen to 67,148.

Maldives active Covid-19 tally has dropped to 4,784 from 5,300 in a single day as well.

Two more Covid-19 patients receiving in-hospital treatment were moved from hospitals over the past 24 hours, meaning that the number of hospital admissions has dropped to 44.

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.

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

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

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

The public health authorities are working to publicize special guidelines under which salons and barber shops may resume services. Further, construction work has also been allowed to resume under the set guidelines and a special permit issued by the city council.

The travel restrictions between Malé City and residential islands 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.