Covid-19 cases from outlying atolls continue to surge, with over 100 confirmed on Monday

Daily Covid-19 case numbers being reported from outlying islands have exceeded 100 on Monday.

Latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that 119 of the 169 new coronavirus infections confirmed nationwide between 6pm Sunday and 6pm Monday were from residential islands.

5,742 samples were tested for the virus over the reporting period, of which 49 were detected from the Maldives congested capital Malé City, whereas the remaining one case was confirmed from an operational resort. This is the lowest case count to have been reported from resorts for weeks.

By sundown on Monday, Maldives Covid-19 case tally had risen to 80,960, since the country confirmed its first Covid-19 case from a resort on 7 March 2020.

The number of active cases rose to 1,709 from the previous day’s 1,658 over the past 24 hours.

With 118 additional Covid-19 patients having recovered during the reporting period, a total of 78,894 recoveries have been reported nationwide thus far.

While 16 patients were hospitalized for treatment on Sunday, the number currently sits at 17.

Last week, four Covid-19 fatalities were reported, pushing the country’s death toll from coronavirus to 226. Maldives confirmed its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020.

The geographical advantage of being comprised of a scatter of islands initially enabled Maldives to keep tabs on the spread of coronavirus when the first few cases surfaced. Things spiraled out of control after a community transmission was detected in the congested capital on 15 April 2020 to which authorities responded by imposing an immediate lockdown.

Months later, authorities began easing the lockdown in phases, with cases going on a downward spiral. Things seemed to be in control until the new year rolled around and cases began spiraling once more. Since April 2020, authorities have been repeating a cycle of curfews, lockdowns, partial lockdowns and other restrictive measures in their successful efforts to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

Maldives was faced by a fourth and more infectious coronavirus wave in early May, with cases rising to alarming levels at 1,000. With the implementation of stricter measures, cases began declining once again, and authorities introduced further eases to restrictions in early July for the extensive government holidays.

Eases have been doubling with those that have completed both doses of Covid-19 vaccine allowed to travel domestically without the need to quarantine, with a negative PCR test result. However, this is only for islands that have no Covid-19 monitoring measures in place.

Further, from September, restrictions announced for unvaccinated people will come into effect including a ban on public transport as well as on dining in restaurants and cafes. There are talks of a ban on domestic air travel as well. Unvaccinated civil servants will have to take a Covid-19 test regularly to be allowed inside the office premises.

The country has been in a state of public health emergency for over a year, since 12 March 2020. It was extended a 17th time to expire on September 1.