Maldives Covid-19 total case tally has topped 82,822.

138 new coronavirus infections were confirmed over the 5,602 samples tested between 6pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday, according to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

By nightfall on Sunday, the country’s active coronavirus cases had dropped further to 2,037 from the previous day’s 2,070.

Sunday’s cases include 72 from residential islands outside of the Maldives populous capital, Malé City where 51 new cases were confirmed over the past 24 hours. The remaining 15 were reported from operational resorts.

The 171 additional recoveries reported over the past 24 hours has pushed the country’s total number of recoveries from the infection to 80,545.

One more patient was released from the hospital in the reporting period, with which hospital admissions have dropped to 17.

Maldives reported its 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 has since 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 to expire on October 1.