An additional patient has succumbed to Covid-19 in the Maldives.

Health Protection Agency (HPA) said that a 79-year-old local man passed away at 2:58am on Monday, after being admitted Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH)’s emergency room.

This is the 27 death from Covid-19 in the Maldives, with four reported last week.

While health officials have been expressing concern over the possibility of the country’s health care system being overburdened following a huge surge in cases, the percentage of occupied hospital beds reserved for coronavirus patients in the capital region has risen to 62 percent.

There are 162 patients admitted at hospitals currently, with 10 in intensive care and five on ventilators.

Maldives has confirmed 6,779 Covid-19 cases since March 7, and there are currently 2,531 active cases. 4,222 patients have recovered from the infection.