K. Male'
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11 Apr 2022 | Mon 17:25
RRT Team collecting samples for Covid-19 testing
RRT Team collecting samples for Covid-19 testing
Health Protection Agency
Covid-19 community transmission
Maldives confirms 655 new Covid-19 cases in a week
 
91 new cases were confirmed from the capital and 482 from atolls
 
298 deaths have been reported so far
 
The total case count has been pushed to 178,313

Maldives has confirmed 655 new Covid-19 cases in a week.

Over the past week, the Health Protection Agency ((HPA) reported more than 600 new Covid-19 infections including 482 detected from residential islands outside of the congested capital Greater Malé Area, where 91 new cases were confirmed.

In its latest figures disclosed on Monday, HPA revealed that between April 3 to 9, the caseload had decreased compared to the previous week.

With this, Maldives Covid-19 case tally has been pushed to 178,313.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The country’s death toll from coronavirus currently sits at 298. No new fatalities were reported in the past week.

Looking at the daily case records,

95 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 3; 4 from the capital and 75 from the atolls

88 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 4; 20 from the capital and 63 from the atolls

106 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 5; 15 from the capital and 87 from the atolls

127 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 6; 13 from the capital and 102 from the atolls

81 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 7; 13 from the capital and 57 from the atolls

41 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 8; 15 from the capital and nine from the atolls

117 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on April 9; 11 from the capital and 89 from the atolls.

Over the past week, the highest number of Covid-19 cases was reported on Wednesday, at 127 while cases dropped as low as 41 two days later.

While the sample positivity rate across the nation rose up to 36 percent in the beginning of February after being maintained at four percent in December 2021, it has since been declining.

Sample positivity in the capital region hiked to 45 percent in early February, when Maldives was immersed in an overwhelming outbreak of the Omicron variant.

HPA went on to reveal that Flu Clinics established in Hulhumalé Hospital and Villimalé Hospital will be operational every day. As such, Hulhumalé Hospital flu clinic will be open from 8am to 9pm, with Villimalé Hospital flu clinic operational from 9am to 1pm every day. Senahiya Flu Clinic will also be open for services from 10am to 10pm Saturday to Thursday and 4pm to 10pm on Fridays.

In addition to this, sample collection centers will be in operation at Senahiya Flu Clinic from 9pm to 11pm from Saturday to Thursday and at Hulhumalé Hospital from 10am to 12pm on an appointment-only basis from Saturday to Thursday.

The state of public health emergency declared nationwide on 12 March 2020, was dissolved starting 13 March 2022.

HPA announced a number of measures to tighten health and safety restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 across the island nation earlier in March.

As such, the face mask mandate that came into effect across the Maldives in February 2021, has also been dissolved. The move also coincided with the start of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Although face masks are no longer mandatory, the public will be required to continue the use of face masks where healthcare services are being provided, including staff, patients and visitors.

Further, the residents of islands or regions where the Covid-19 positivity rate is higher than 20 percent, are still required to use face masks.

The public health authority went on to encourage the public to continue the use of face masks if they are considered high risk or have high risk individuals in their circle, when out in public, if they exhibit symptoms, if they attend gatherings or events with large crowds of people, while using public transport vehicles like taxis, busses and ferries as well as while attending indoor activities and other places where public services are provided.

The changes were brought after the current pandemic situation was thoroughly analyzed.

As such, some of the key points taken into consideration when revoking the state of public health emergency, exactly after two years since it was imposed, include the fact that the Covid-19 situation in most islands and regions is improving as well as the success in maintaining hospitalization and death rates at a lower rate.

Further, HPA revealed that a majority of the population have completed the first two doses of the vaccination, as booster dose administration continues to increase.

It was also revealed that Covid-19 response will continue according to the ‘Covid-19 Strategy’, and measures will be taken according to the prevailing Covid-19 situation, even though the public health emergency has been revoked.

Further, inbound travelers can now enter Maldives without presenting negative PCR certification and travelers are no longer required to present PCR test results, even if they haven’t completed the Covid-19 vaccination.

Starting 13 March 2022, inbound travelers are also not required to satay in quarantine, even if they are not fully vaccinated.

Despite these eases, testing of symptomatic persons, isolation of positive persons and quarantine for contacts of positive persons will continue.

This comes at a time Maldives recently went through an overwhelming peak of Covid-19, following the celebrations to bring in the new year.

Last updated at: 4 months ago
Reviewed by: Fathimath Zuhaira
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