Covid-19: Wednesday records 143 new cases

143 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Maldives on Wednesday, out of the 3,677 samples tested for the virus by health authorities between 6PM Tuesday and 6PM Wednesday.

Tuesday saw the Health Protection Ageny (HPA) annunced a curfew for the Greater Male' Region, effective from midnight until 4AM, in addition to imposing a ban on public gatherings, parties and events, as new infections being reported daily topped 100 for the fourth day in a row. Sampling stations have also been established at the Hulhumale' Flu Clininc, and in the building behind Male' Hiyaa 2 for members of the public to volunteer samples to test for Covid-19. Further, all in-bound travelers to the Maldives will be required to quarantine for 10-days, with the exception of those entering the country as tourists.

With the additional 143 cases reported on Wednesday, the Maldives' total Covid-19 tally now sits at 15,390, 1,366 of which are active cases.

112 of the 143 new infections reported on Wednesday correspond to cases in the Male' Area. Seven positive cases were reported from inhabited islands, and 24 were reported from operational resorts. 101 people are currently hospitalized for treatment for the virus, which is eight more than the previous day

50 additional recoveries were reported between 6PM Tuesday and 6PM Wednesday, bringing the total number of recoveries reported in the country thus far up to 13,966. 51 people have died from Covid-19 related health complications in the country. The most recent death was reported on Sunday, when an 86-year-old man passed away while being treated for Covid-19 on the 11th floor of Dharumavantha Hospital.

Speaking on the special "Jazeera salla" Covid-19 Q&A program hosted by spokesperson for the President's Office Mabrook Azeez on Wednesday, Spokesperson for the Health Emergency Operations Center Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said that health authorities had been adjusting Covid-19 health and safety restrictions based on the trend being observed for the infection's spread. She added that stricter regulations had been introduced as the number of new cases being reported in the country had been on the rise, and encouraged members of the public to practice caution in following masking and social distancing rules in the coming days.

While Dr. Nazla noted that the Maldives had been able to ride out a second wave of the virus last year without reintroducing a lockdown, she said that the public health authority would be closely monitoring the trend for transmisison of the Covid-19 in the country in case stricter measures needed to be enacted to ensure the spread of infection could be controlled.