178 new cases push Maldives Covid-19 case count to 73,660

With 178 additional Covid-19 infections confirmed nationwide, Maldives Covid-19 case count has risen to 73,660.

Latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that the new cases were confirmed from 5,199 samples tested between 6pm Monday and 6pm Tuesday.

A majority of the new cases, 125, were from residential islands whereas 43 were detected in the Greater Malé Region, seven from operational resorts and three from islands under development.

The number of active coronavirus cases in the island nation has dropped to 3,815 from 3,883 within the past 24 hours.

Further HPA also confirmed 245 recoveries by sundown on Tuesday, meaning that the country has observed a total of 69,623 recoveries so far.

Statistics go on to reveal that the number of hospital admissions remain unchanged from the previous day, at 27.

Not long after Maldives was able to control a spike in cases into the beginning of the year, the Covid-19 caseload began spiking in the beginning of May once again. This came not long after authorities lifted the measures in place before a fourth wave was confirmed, 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.

Measures were strengthened across the Maldives earlier in May with authorities having imposed a curfew in the capital region initially from 4pm to 4am. On 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, making it mandatory for residents to carry household permits to go out from 8am to 4pm. Following a decline in cases, once again public health authorities have reduced curfew hours in the capital thrice round, the latest being on June 29, to come into effect on July 1.

As such, authorities reduced curfew hours from 8pm to 4am, authorized mosques to reopen for congregational prayers with social distancing, gave the go ahead for cafés, restaurants and food outlets to resume dine-in services as well as allowing capital region residents to go out during non-curfew hours without a permit. All businesses are also to resume operations starting July 1, when work-permit holders from South Asian countries will also be allowed to return to Maldives. Maldives will reopen borders for tourists visiting from South Asian countries, on July 15.

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