142 new cases of Covid-19 and an additional 135 recoveries from the infection were reported in the Maldives on Wednesday, with most cases being detected from the nation's capital and Covid-19 epicenter, Male' City.

Authorities tested 4,589 samples between Tuesday and Wednesday, of which 129 samples tested positive from the Male' Area. An additional six samples tested positive from inhabited islands, five from operational resorts and two samples tested positive from liveaboard vessels. As of 6PM Wednesday, a total of 18,224 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Maldives, 2,391 if which are active cases.

135 additional recoveries from the infection were reported between Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing the total number of recoveries from Covid-19 observed in the Maldives up to 15,768. By sundown on Wednesday, 171 persons were admitted in hospital for care due to Covid-19.

As of now, the Maldives' has reported 58 deaths linked to Covid-19 and related health complications, 10 of which were reported in the ongoing year of 2021.

Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday night, Dr. Nazla Mustafa of the Maldives Technical Advisory Group on Immunization confirmed that authorities had collected evidence that the UK variant of Covid-19 was in active transmission in the Maldives. She added that health authorities had sent samples of different variants of Covid-19 detected in the Maldives for testing abroad, and that there was a high chance that UK variant would be among them.

Dr. Nazla Musthafa highlighted that tourists had been travelling through the Maldives steadily since last year, and that there were likely more variants than UK one currently spreading in the Maldives as a result.

The Maldives continues to battle a third wave of infections in the Covid-19 pandemic, with the nations congested capital and Covid-19 epicenter Male' City remaining a hotbed of infections. Authorities have extended the restrictions imposed in Male' City for a further two weeks in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19. Restrictions have also been implemented in the cities of Addu and Fuvahmulah as well, due to the confirmation of community transmissions on the islands.

Health authorities have requested support from members of the public in preventing the spread of Covid-19, and have warned that the nation's caseload could soon increase beyond the healthcare system's capacity to cater to those infected with Covid-19. All are encouraged to adhere strictly to the health and safety regulations in place in order to control the third wave of the pandemic across the nation.