Covid-19: Cases spike with 241 new infections detected Wednesday

241 new cases of Covid-19 were reported across the Maldives on Wednesday, with an additional 171 recoveries confirmed from the infection nationwide.

73 of the 241 new cases reported Wednesday were from the Male' area, with 74 additional cases reported from inhabited islands, and 15 new cases from operational resorts. A further 79 new cases were detected from industrial islands.

Health authorities tested a total of 3,850 samples for the infection between Tuesday and Wednesday.

With this, the Maldives total Covid-19 case tally is now 24,079, of which 2,849 are active cases. By sundown on Wednesday, 99 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 171 recoveries from the infection were reported on Wednesday, bringing the total number of recoveries observed for the infection in Maldives up to 21,155.

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 67th death from Covid-19 in Maldives on Wednesday. Most of those who have passed away after contracting the infection in Maldives are elderly persons.