Covid-19: Record number of new infections reported with 51 recoveries on Friday

A record number of 319 new cases of Covid-19 were reported across the Maldives on Friday, alongside 51 recoveries from the infection as a Covid-19 infections spiked across atolls outside the capital.

108 of the 319 new cases reported Friday were from the Male' area, with 182 new cases reported from inhabited islands, and 21 cases from operational resorts. A further eight new infections were detected from industrial islands.

Health authorities tested a total of 3,207 samples for the infection between Thursday and Friday.

This is the highest number of daily new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Maldives since the infection first began spreading across the island nation. The number of new cases of Covid-19 reported daily across the Maldives previously topped the 300-case mark on 2 April 2021.

With Friday's 319 new cases, the number of active cases of Covid-19 across the country have reached 3,094.

As of now, the Maldives' total Covid-19 case tally is now 27,403. By sundown on Friday, 98 people remain admitted in hospitals for Covid-19 treatment across the country.

A further 51 recoveries from the infection were reported on Friday, bringing the total number of recoveries observed for the infection in Maldives up to 24,116.

Covid-19 health and safety restrictions were eased across the densely-populated capital ahead of the fasting month of Ramazan, where Covid-19 cases have been spiking of late. More cases of Covid-19 were confirmed from residential islands than Male' City on Friday as authorities work to contain large infection clusters from across atolls. The Health Protection Agency on Friday issued an advisory for travelers from B. Eydhafushi after a number of residents tested positive for Covid-19, and have requested all those that traveled to Eydahfushi over the past month to report to their hotline.

As the fasting month of Ramazan is now underway, authorities have been working to control Covid-19 transmissions without initiating a city-wide lockdown in the capital. The curfew and vehicle movement restriction order in effect across the nation's capital was also dissolved recently.

However, the state of public health emergency across the country has been extended for another month until 4 May, with authorities most recently having confirmed the 71st death from Covid-19 in Maldives. Two deaths linked to the infection were confirmed on Friday, with the most recent death reported on Tuesday, including which a total of 23 people have died from the infection in Maldives in 2021. With a Covid-19 mortality rate of 0.26 percent, most of those who have passed away after contracting the infection in the island nation are elderly persons.

Public health authorities continue to stress the importance of following Covid-19 health and safety measures set to control transmission of the virus, including social distancing, avoiding public gatherings, maintaining hand hygiene and effective masking while outdoors.