122 out of 4,119 samples tested returns positive for Covid-19 on Monday

122 out of the 4,119 samples tested for Covid-19 between 6pm Sunday and 6pm Monday returned positive for coronavirus.

The over 100 new cases included 78 detected from residential islands, 38 from the Greater Malé Region, four from liveaboard vessels and two from operational resorts, according to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

This means that the total case count has been pushed to 84,484, since Maldives confirmed its first few coronavirus cases from a resort over a year ago on 7 March 2020.

An additional 109 recoveries confirmed in the reporting period has pushed the total number of recoveries confirmed across the nation to 82,676. With this development, the country’s active coronavirus case tally has risen to 1,564 from the previous day’s 1,551.

Hospital admissions dropped further to 16 over the past 24 hours, with four patients having been released from hospitals.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. Since then, the death toll has been pushed to 231. The latest fatality was confirmed on Saturday afternoon, when an 80-year-old Maldivian man being treated at the Covid Management Facility in Shaviyani atoll 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 continues to practice caution as the pandemic is far from being controlled, despite declining numbers in recent months. For over a month, the country has been free from further restrictions in the face of the pandemic, however, the authorities continue to remind the public to be vigilant as the country heads down the road to full recovery from the impacts of Covid-19. Although life is far from reaching normal yet, the government's resilience to vaccinate the entire nation has revived hopes of eases from further burden, in the new normal.

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.