805 new Covid-19 cases confirmed in 24 hours; 90 from capital

Maldives has confirmed 805 new Covid-19 cases, of which 90 were detected from the congested capital, Greater Malé Region.

According to the latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 1,006 more recoveries were also confirmed between 6pm Wednesday and 6pm Thursday.

In the reporting period the public health authority tested 4,411 samples were tested for the virus, of which 1,408 samples were collected across the capital, where the Covid-19 positivity rate has dropped to six percent.

The remaining cases were 637 detected across residential islands outside of the capital and 52 from operational resorts. It also included 26 for which the location is yet to be determined.

Thursday’s new Covid-19 cases have pushed the Maldives Covid-19 case tally to 162,974.

With this development active Covid-19 cases across Maldives have dropped further to 15,504 from the previous day’s 15,706.

The additional recoveries confirmed by sundown on Thursday have pushed the total number of recoveries confirmed across the archipelago nation thus far, to 147,167.

The public health authority went on to reveal that the total number of Covid-19 patients receiving in-hospital treatment has risen to 28, with two more patients hospitalized in the reporting period.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The total number of deaths confirmed across the island nation sits at 290.

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.

However, the public health authority has since eased measures for direct contacts of positive cases across the capital. As such, fully vaccinated direct contacts of Covid-19 positive cases will no longer be required to undergo a quarantine period, if they do not exhibit symptoms.

As such, those who have been fully vaccinated among those identified as direct contacts of positive cases, will not be required to undergo a quarantine period if they do not show symptoms.

Further, those who have been fully vaccinated among those identified as direct contacts of positive cases and do exhibit symptoms, will be required to undergo Antigen or PCR testing and will not be required to quarantine if their test results return negative for the novel coronavirus. However, they will be required to quarantine until their test results are obtained. These individuals will be required to undergo PCR testing after five days of coming into contact with a covid-stricken individual.

The public health authority went on to reveal that individuals may only use the Covid-19 rapid antigen self-test kits if they have symptoms and should they test positive, they will be required to follow the steps mentioned in the publication.

The isolation period or quarantine period of these individuals will only be documented by the authority if they undergo Covid-19 testing at a registered laboratory or healthcare facility.

The public has been urged to strictly adhere to the safety guidelines in place, in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The country has been in a state of public health emergency for nearly two years now, since 12 March 2020. The last extension is set to expire on February 28.