Maldives reports 111 new Covid-19 cases, 150 recoveries

Maldives reported 111 new Covid-19 cases and 150 recoveries on Thursday.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), the new infections were confirmed through the 5,526 samples tested between 6pm Wednesday and 6pm Thursday.

Thursday’s cases include 52 from residential islands outside of the congested capital city of Maldives, 54 from the capital Greater Malé Region and five from resorts operational nationwide.

These developments have pushed the country's total coronavirus case count to 82,475.

With an additional 150 recoveries reported the total number of recoveries observed nationwide thus far, has risen to 80,154.

By sundown on Thursday the country's active Covid-19 case tally dropped from 2,120 to 2,081.

Four patients were released from hospitals over the past 24 hours, with which the number of hospital admissions has dropped to 13.

This is the 18th consecutive day 100 cases have been confirmed nationwide.

Maldives reported it's first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. Since then, the death toll has been pushed to 227.

Daily case numbers being reported nationwide have been rising over the past few days. Over 1,000 new cases were confirmed over the past week alone.

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 on a daily basis. 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.