146 new cases of Covid-19 were reported across the Maldives on Friday, with an additional 90 recoveries confirmed from the infection nationwide.
59 of the 146 new cases confirmed on Friday were from the Male' area, with 11 additional cases reported from inhabited islands, 10 new cases confirmed from operational resorts, along with an additional 66 cases from Felivaru industrial island, where a huge Covid-19 cluster has developed.
Health authorities tested a total of 2,948 samples for the infection between Thursday and Friday.
With this, the Maldives total Covid-19 case tally is now 23,237, of which 2,635 are active cases. By sundown on Friday, 100 people remain admitted in hospitals for Covid-19 treatment across the country. The public health authority revealed that hospital admissions are currently lower than they were in mid-February, but still higher in comparison to the hospital admissions recorded at the beginning of the ongoing year.
A further 90 recoveries from the infection were reported on Friday, bringing the total number of recoveries observed for the infection in Maldives up to 20,529.
In addition to this, HPA statistics also show that the flu positivity rate has gone down despite the increase in cases, especially from the capital region, which means that fewer people are attending flu clinics despite presenting symptoms of Covid-19.
Covid-19 health and safety restrictions are being strengthened across the Maldives in order to control transmission of the virus. Malé City residents are now required to provide negative PCR results with a sample taken 72 hours prior to traveling to island, with special permission required for essential travel. HPA has also dissolved the vehicle movement restriction order in effect in Malé, although a citywide curfew remains active at this time to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The state of public health emergency across the country has been extended for another month until 4 April, with authorities most recently having confirmed the 66th death from Covid-19 in Maldives. Most of those who have passed away after contracting the infection in Maldives are elderly persons.
