Maldives reported 94 new Covid-19 cases and 70 additional recoveries on Thursday.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) through its latest figures revealed that the new infections were confirmed through 4,021 samples tested between 6pm Wednesday and 6pm Thursday.

Thursday’s cases include 68 detected across residential islands outside of the Maldives congested capital Malé City, where 20 new infections were confirmed and the remaining six were detected from operational resorts.

Active coronavirus cases rose to 1,231 from the previous day’s 1,207 cases in the reporting period.

Maldives total coronavirus case count currently sits at 85,932. The country reported its first few coronavirus cases on 7 March 2020.

With the additional recoveries confirmed by sundown on Wednesday, total recoveries currently stand at 84,451.

Two more patients were hospitalized for treatment in the reporting period, with which hospital admissions have risen to 16.

Maldives confirmed three more Covid-19 fatalities in the past 24 hours, after an 81-year-old woman, an 87-year-old man and an 84-year-old man succumbed to complications of the virus. With the confirmation of three more Covid-19 victims, the death toll nationwide has risen to 237. Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020.

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 a 19th time to expire on October 31.