Covid-19: 11 out of 150 new infections from Maldives congested capital

Of 150 new coronavirus infections confirmed across Maldives by sundown on Saturday, 11 were from the virus epicenter, Malé City.

This is the seventh consecutive day where the daily case numbers nationwide have been reported below 200, according to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

Between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday, public health authorities tested a total of 5,266 samples for the infection.

The new cases include 95 from residential islands, 17 from operational resorts, 20 from islands reserved for industrial purposes as well as seven from islands under development.

This has pushed the Maldives Covid-19 case tally to 74,224.

Further HPA also reported 233 recoveries with which the total number of recoveries observed from the virus thus far has been pushed to 70,723.

Over the past 24 hours active coronavirus cases across the island nation dropped to 3,276 from 3,359.

The number of hospital admissions nationwide has also dropped to 20, meaning that three Covid-19 patients were moved from hospital over the past 24 hours.

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 curfew hours are currently from 8pm to 4am, and mosques are also reopened for congregational prayers with social distancing. Authorities have also given the go ahead for cafés, restaurants and food outlets to resume dine-in services as well as allowed capital region residents to go out during non-curfew hours without a permit from July 1. All businesses have also resumed operations starting July 1.

Maldives remains in a state of public health emergency since 12 March 2020 which was last extended to expire on 2 August.