Maldives confirms over 2,000 new Covid-19 cases for sixth consecutive day

Maldives has confirmed more than 2,000 new Covid-19 cases for a sixth consecutive day.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), a total of 2,499 new Covid-19 cases and 2,220 additional recoveries were confirmed between 6pm Wednesday and 6pm Thursday.

In the reporting period, the public health authorities tested a total of 7,019 samples were tested for the infection, of which 1,280 returned positive from the congested capital, 697 across residential islands outside of the capital, 56 from operational resorts and one from a liveaboard vessel. HPA revealed that the location of 465 cases is yet to be determined.

3,904 samples were collected across the capital in the reporting period, where the Covid-19 positivity rate sat at 39 percent by sundown on Thursday.

By sundown on Thursday, the country’s active Covid-19 cases had hiked to 16,950 from the previous day’s 16,673.

Further, HPA revealed that the total number of coronavirus cases confirmed across the archipelago nation since the confirmation of the first few cases on 7 March 2020, has been pushed to 128,089.

With this development the total number of patients who have recovered from the virus across the country has also been pushed to 110,852.

Hospital admissions dropped to 54 in the reporting period. Two Covid-19 fatalities were confirmed on Thursday; local men receiving treatment at the Hulhumalé Medical Facility (HMF).

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020 and since then, the death toll has risen to 274. 11 Covid-19 fatalities have been confirmed so far this year.

Although Maldives had maintained the Covid-19 caseload at low daily figures across the capital region in recent months, cases across the capital have been spiking recently. The caseload across the capital has been spiking since New Year’s. Due to this, HPA recently tightened safety measures across the Greater Malé Region.

As such, gatherings, events and parties with more than 50 persons are disallowed, with those hosting such gatherings cautioned to follow the guidelines set by the authority. In addition, night and city markets have been prohibited, with sports activities closed off to the public as well. In addition to this, those traveling from the capital region will be required to present negative PCR certification valid 72 hours prior if they have passed 14 days since completing both doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

Further, those who have not completed their vaccine shots will be required to undergo a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days and will only be released upon a negative PCR result.

The public health authority revealed that sample collection centers will be open at Social Center, Villimalé and Hulhumalé. As such, sample collection centers will be open in the Social Center, Villimalé Flu Clinic, Hulhumalé Ruhgandu 1, Henveiru Football Ground, Hulhumalé Phase II as well as the Parking Zone near Sinamalé Bridge. HPA recently opened a flu clinic for Covid-19 patients at FAM Building, which will be open through Saturday to Thursday as well as Fridays.

At a time the caseload has been spiking, the island nation recently celebrated the New Year, where large groups of people thronged the capital’s suburbs and other regions to welcome the new year. It is to be noted that the caseload hiked following the New Year last year as well.

The public has been urged to get vaccinated, adhere to guidelines set place in hosting events and gatherings and even in the work environment to prevent the risk of widespread infection.

Maldives confirmed the first case of the new, more transmissible variant of Covid-19, ‘Omicron’ on 5 December 2021. Since then, the public health authority has revealed that more cases have been surfacing.

Research indicates that those who have recovered from Covid-19 are at a high risk of contracting the new variant, dubbed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The country has been in a state of public health emergency for nearly two years now, since 12 March 2020.