Maldives reported 126 new Covid-19 cases and 123 recoveries by sundown on Saturday.

Of the 3,893 samples collected for testing between 6pm Friday and 6pm Saturday, 88 new infections were detected from residential islands outside of the congested capital city, where 32 samples returned positive. Further, four persons in operational resorts and two in a liveaboard vessel also tested positive or coronavirus over the past 24 hours.

The Health Protection Agency’s latest statistics reveal that the country’ active coronavirus case count currently sits at 1,614.

One more patient was released from the hospital over the past 24 hours. With this there are currently 15 hospitalized Covid-19 patients.

With the additional recoveries confirmed, the total number has been pushed to 82,432 with the country’s Covid-19 case tally currently sitting at 84,290.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. Since then, the death toll has been pushed to 230. The latest fatality was confirmed early Friday, when a 46-year-old Maldivian woman being treated at Hulhumalé Medical Facility (HMF) succumbed to the virus.

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.