Over 200 new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed nationwide.

According to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 220 new infections were detected nationwide between 6pm Monday and 6pm Tuesday.

The over 200 new cases were confirmed through 5,166 samples tested for the virus in the reporting period.

As such, 164 coronavirus infections were detected from outlying atolls, with 45 persons residing in the Maldives congested capital, Malé City also having tested positive. Five new cases were confirmed from operational resorts, alongside six from liveaboard vessels.

This has pushed the country’s total Covid-19 case count to 83,875, with active cases sitting at 1,694. This is a surge in comparison to the previous day’s 1,609 active cases.

Over the past 24 hours, HPA reported an additional 135 recoveries from Covid-19, with which the number of recoveries observed nationwide so far, has risen to 81,939.

HPA revealed that three patients were released from hospitals within the past 24 hours, with which hospital admissions have dropped to 20.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. Since then, the death toll has been pushed to 229, with the latest deaths reported over the past 24 hours, when an 89-year-old Maldivian man succumbed to virus complications while being treated at the Covid Management Facility in Gaaf Dhaal atoll, followed by the death of an 87-year-old local male.

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.

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 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.