Maldives Covid-19 case tally rises to 179,979

Maldives Covid-19 case tally has risen to 179,979.

This was revealed by the Health Protection Agency ((HPA) in its latest figures publicized on Monday.

Statics revealed that between June 5 – June 11, a total of 142 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed, including 50 from the congested capital, Greater Malé Area, 40 from residential islands outside of the capital and 52 reported from others including industrial islands, liveaboard vessels and resorts.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The country’s death toll from coronavirus currently sits at 299.

Over the past week, the highest number of Covid-19 cases was reported on Friday, at 25 while the lowest figure was reported on Saturday at 13.

In the past week, more infections were confirmed from the capital and industrial islands, liveaboard vessels as well as resorts and outlying atolls.

Although the weekly sample positivity rate was at six percent between April 24 – 30, it dropped as low as three percent between May 8 – 14. In the past week, this number rose to eight percent, which means that Covid-19 cases are increasing once more.

HPA revealed that the cases reported over the past week were a 69 percent increase. The authority also identified hospital admissions to be increasing.

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. However, with the recent rise in cases the authority has once again urged to start using face masks.

Although face masks are no longer mandatory, the public as well as staff, patients and visitors will be required to wear them at all hospitals and other places where healthcare services are provided .

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 mandatory measures were cancelled after considering the improvements made.

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 low hospitalization and death rates.

Further, HPA revealed that a majority of the population have completed the first two doses of the vaccination, as well as the number of people who have taken booster dose is also increasing.

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.