Covid-19: Maldives reports 120 new cases, two more deaths
Maldives' total Covid-19 tally at 17,507
(File photo) The two deaths reported on Saturday push the country’s Covid-19 related death total to 58
Maldives reported 120 new coronavirus infections on Friday, as well as two more deaths.
Out of the 120 additional new cases confirmed from the 2,751 samples tested within 24 hours, 99 cases corresponded to those who had tested positive from the capital of Male' City. Eight cases were reported from inhabited islands across the country, 10 from operational resorts and three cases from liveaboard vessels.
With this, the Health Protection Agency (HPA)'s latest statistics place the Maldives' total Covid-19 tally at 17,507 with 453,895 samples having been tested by authorities for the infection thus far. The country has seen 15,142 recoveries thus far.
Out of the 2,302 active cases in the island nation, 206 people were receiving in-hospital care for Covid-19 at the end of Friday, which is five less than the previous day.
Further, HPA confirmed on Saturday morning that a 78-year-old local woman brought to ER at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) at around 8:12PM on Friday, who was declared dead on arrival, had posthumously tested positive for Covid-19.
HPA announced another death on Saturday afternoon, confirming a 59-year-old local woman taken to IGMH ER unresponsive early Saturday morning as the 58th Covid-19 related death in the country.
10 people have died from Covid-19 complications this year.
Spokesperson for the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) Dr. Nazla Rafeeq revealed on Friday that 86 percent of all beds dedicated to the care of Covid-19 patients in the Male' area were full, and requested support on behalf of the public to control transmission of the virus and decrease Male' City's caseload. She also revealed that this third wave was by far the worst for infections in the Maldives, and described the nation's Covid-19 outlook as critical in a tweet on her personal account.
Friday saw HPA announced an extension to the vehicle movement restriction in Male' City, with the ban on land vehicles now effective between 6pm and 6am beginning Friday.
Further, the HPA gazetted an order imposing a curfew and vehicle movement restriction in Fuvahmulah City between 8pm and 6am following a spike in Covid-19 cases. Under the order, movement is now restricted between homes and different districts of the city, with congregational prayers also halted at this time.
