Maldives reports 121 new Covid-19 cases, 105 recoveries

Maldives reported 121 new Covid-19 infections and an additional 105 recoveries by sundown on Sunday.

According to latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), the new infections were confirmed through 3,728 samples collected between 6pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday.

HPA statistics indicate that 49 out of the 121 new infections reported in the Maldives between 6pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday, were from the Greater Malé Region. This is the fifth consecutive day where daily cases have been below 100 in the capital region. 46 of the remaining cases were reported in residential islands and 12 infections were also detected from operational resorts.

One new coronavirus case was confirmed from a liveaboard vessel and 13 more cases were discovered from industrial islands.

Sunday’s coronavirus cases have pushed the country’s total Covid-19 case count to 23,524.

The country has observed a total of 20,723 recoveries from the infection since it surfaced in the island nation during March 2020.

Maldives active coronavirus infections rose to 2,728 from 2,712 within the past 24 hours, with 93 patients remaining hospitalized for treatment. This is five less than the number of hospital admissions 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.

Maldives Covid-19 mortality rate is currently at 0.29 percent, with the pandemic having claimed 66 lives thus far, the latest victim having been reported a little past 8pm on March 20.

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 the health authority 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.