Maldives reports 139 new Covid-19 cases, 133 recoveries
The country remains in a state of public health emergency since 12 March 2020
Healthcare workers collecting samples for Covid-19 testing
Maldives reported 139 new infections of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, alongside 133 additional recoveries from the virus.
According to latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 89 out of the 139 new infections of the global Covid-19 pandemic reported in the Maldives by sundown on Wednesday, were from the Greater Malé Region. This is the second consecutive day where daily cases have been below 100 in the capital region.
31 of the remaining cases were reported in residential islands and 19 infections were detected from operational resorts.
The new infections were confirmed through 6,659 samples collected between 6pm Tuesday and 6pm Wednesday.
Wednesday’s coronavirus cases have pushed the country’s total Covid-19 case count to 22,929.
Further, with an additional 133 recoveries reported by Wednesday’s end, the country has observed a total of 20,359 recoveries from the infection since it surfaced in the island nation during March 2020.
Maldives active coronavirus infections rose to 2,497 from 2,491, out of which 103 patients remain hospitalized for treatment. This is one patient more than the previous day.
The public health authority revealed that hospital admissions are currently lower than they were in mid-February, however, they are still higher in comparison to the hospital admissions recorded at the beginning of the ongoing year.
The pandemic has claimed 66 lives in the Maldives thus far, the latest victim having been reported a little past 8pm on Saturday. As such, a 66-year-old man who was rushed to the Emergency Room of Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in an unresponsive state, succumbed to complications after which authorities identified him as the 66th Covid-19 victim.
Public health authorities recently extended and implemented stricter measures across the nation in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the region, as the country goes through an overwhelming third peak of the pandemic. For over a month, infections have been snowballing and public health authorities have been raising concern over the mounting caseload, however, the authorities remain resolute to avoid imposing a second lockdown across the capital region.
Authorities reintroduced a curfew in the Greater Malé Region on February 12, in light of the spike in daily infections being reported. The nearly six-hour curfew was followed by restrictions on vehicle movement from 6pm to 6am for Greater Malé residents. On Wednesday’s authorities lifted the restrictions on vehicle movement in the capital city.
The country remains in a state of public health emergency since 12 March 2020, the last extension is set to expire on April 4.
