Maldives reports 173 new Covid-19 cases, 72 additional recoveries

Maldives reported 173 new Covid-19 cases and 72 additional recoveries on Thursday.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 89 new coronavirus infections were detected from residential islands, 68 from the Greater Malé Region and 16 from operational resorts.

Thursday’s cases were confirmed through 6,418 samples tested between 6pm Wednesday and 6pm Thursday.

Maldives Covid-19 case tally has been pushed to 81,474 with this development.

Daily case numbers being reported nationwide have been rising over the past few days, and Thursday saw the lowest number of recoveries reported daily over the past week, as well.

The country currently has 1,895 active coronavirus cases, which is a significant increase compared the Wednesday’s 1,794.

Hospital admissions remain the same as the previous day, at 24.

The country has observed a total of 79,340 recoveries from coronavirus, by sundown on Thursday.

Four Covid-19 fatalities were reported nearing the end of August, 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 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. HPA on Wednesday publicized a list of islands where the criteria for Covid-19 vaccination coverage conditions have been met.

The country has been in a state of public health emergency for over a year, since 12 March 2020. It was extended an 18th time on Wednesday, to expire on October 1.