Covid-19 cases are quickly spiking in the Maldives

Covid-19 cases are quickly spiking in the Maldives, as authorities increase sample testing.

While 105 new cases were reported on Sunday from the 2,600 samples tested, a total of 215 cases were announced on Monday from the 4,126 samples tested within 24 hours.

Most of the cases were detected from the country’s Covid-19 epicenter, capital Male’ City. Further, eight cases were detected from residential islands, one from a liveaboard vessel, 20 from operational resorts and 27 from non-operational resorts.

Monday’s 215 cases have pushed the Maldives’ coronavirus tally to 16,056. Further, with an additional 51 recoveries recorded, a total of 14,190 patients have recovered from the virus. There have been 52 deaths, mostly locals.

While active cases were below 600 at the start of the year, it increased three times over by Monday, to 1,807.

Patients receiving in-hospital care continues to increase as well. 184 patients are currently admitted at hospitals, 21 more than the previous day.

Out of the 16,056 infections confirmed in the Maldives, 63.60 percent are locals while Bangladeshis, the country’s largest migrant worker population, comes second at 22.60 percent.

Maldives’ Covid-19 situation seemed to be under control following the decline in cases detected since September. However, after months of declining case numbers, the country reported a jump in coronavirus infections on January 24. Reported daily numbers have been over 100 since, and rose to over 200 on Monday.

While a majority of the cases are still being detected from the capital region, authorities last week reinstated the night-time curfew in the city, about a month after it was lifted.

The capital was placed under lockdown last April, following the confirmation of a Covid-19 community spread in the congested city. Lockdown easing began in late-May, however, the state of public health emergency announced on 12 March 2020 still remains following multiple extensions.

The government launched a nationwide vaccination drive on Monday, with the intention of vaccinating the entire population within the next six months. Dr Shiraany Abdul Rahman, Medical Officer of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), a healthcare professional working on the frontlines of the Covid-19 response, was the first to receive the initial dose of the vaccine in the Maldives.

President Solih, Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed, Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan and other senior government officials received first vaccine shot on Monday, on live TV, in efforts to build confidence in the safety of “Covishield” brand vaccine developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII).