Maldives Covid-19 case tally surpasses 87,000 with over 100 new cases

Maldives total Covid-19 case count has surpassed the 87,000-mark with over 100 new infections confirmed by sundown on Monday.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 149 new infections and 123 recoveries were confirmed between 6pm Sunday and 6pm Monday.

Out of the 3,357 samples tested in the reporting period, 85 returned positive from residential islands outside of the Maldives congested capital Malé City, where 39 new cases were confirmed. The remaining 25 cases were detected from operational resorts.

Monday’s new coronavirus cases have pushed the total active case count further to 1,550 from the previous day’s 1,524.

With this development, Maldives Covid-19 case tally has risen to 87,071.

The additional recoveries reported have pushed the total number of recoveries to 85,268.

Four more patients were hospitalized over the past 24 hours, with which hospital admissions have risen to 22.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020 and since then, the death toll has risen to 241. The latest victim was reported on October 26, when an 86-year-old local woman receiving treatment at Addu Covid Management Facility succumbed to the virus. This is the 10th Covid-19 fatality to have been confirmed this ongoing month.

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.