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

Health Protection Agency (HPA) said that a 79-year-old local man being treated in DH11 of Dharumavantha Hospital passed away at 1:42am on Tuesday.

This is the 29th death from Covid-19 in the Maldives.

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 have increased alarmingly following the start the third phase of lockdown easing in July.

There are 172 patients admitted at hospitals currently, with five on ventilators.

Maldives has confirmed 7,804 Covid-19 cases since March 7, and there are currently 2,615 active cases. 5,155 patients have recovered from the infection.