Maldives Covid-19 death toll pushed to 300, case tally surpasses 180,000

With one more Covid-19 fatality reported in the past week, the country’s coronavirus death toll has risen to 300.

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

Statics revealed that between June 12 – June 18, an alarming total of 405 new Covid-19 infections were confirmed nationwide, including 231 from the congested capital, Greater Malé Area, 95 from residential islands outside of the capital and 79 reported from others including industrial islands, liveaboard vessels and resorts.

With this development, the Maldives Covid-19 case tally has risen to 180,384.

Maldives reported its first Covid-19 fatality in April 2020. The country’s death toll from coronavirus currently sits at 300.

Over the past week, the highest number of Covid-19 cases was reported on Thursday, at 77 while the lowest figure was reported on Monday at 26.

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

HPA went on to reveal that while just three hospital admissions were recorded between March 30 – April 2, it has gradually been increasing. It dropped to one in the first week of May and rose up to eight from May 29 to June 4.

In the second week of June, hospital admissions were recorded at five.

The number of hospital admissions has hiked alarmingly since, having risen to 17 between June 12 – 18.

Further, 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. The rate remained at four percent in the three weeks that followed and rose to eight percent between June 5 – 11. The number currently sits at 21 percent, as of June 18.

As for weekly cases which have also been gradually increasing over the past months, 120 new cases were confirmed in the first week of May. 77 new cases were confirmed in the week that followed. HPA confirmed 102 new infections from May 15 – 21 and 91 from May 22 – 28.

84 new cases were reported between May 29 – June 4. This number rose to 142 between June 5 – 11 and hiked significantly to 405 over the last week.

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, with HPA urging caution from the public, against a recent rise in Covid-19 cases.

Further, the healthcare authority has also noted an increase in the number of hospital admissions in recent days.

With this being said, HPA has urged the public to be more vigilant in observing safety precautions, isolate themselves and undergo Covid-19 testing if they exhibit symptoms.

Authorities have not yet revealed any plans to implement stricter measures against the rise in Covid-19 cases.

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.

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.