Maldives has identified a third coronavirus victim in less than 24 hours.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) identified the deceased as a 61-year-old man who was isolated in Rasdhoo island of Alif Alif atoll.

The man is an Indian national and was pronounced dead by authorities at 3:45pm on Thursday.

While this has pushed the Maldives Covid-19 death toll to 77, it is the third death to have been reported in less than 24 hours.

As such, Maldives reported the 75th Covid-19 fatality when a 77-year-old local woman who was admitted at Hulhumalé Medical Facility for Covid-19 treatment passed away at around 3:18am on Thursday.

Hours later at 12:30pm, the second death was confirmed when an 83-year-old Maldivian man who was admitted at Naifaru Hospital succumbed to complications.

The pandemic has claimed 29 lives in the Maldives during 2021, four of which have been reported thus far in May.

Authorities earlier stressed that Covid-19 fatalities had doubled in count since January 2021. As such, while four deaths were observed in January, the number increased to 10 during February. Six Covid-19 fatalities were reported during March as well as April. April’s Covid-19 victims include an Indian national.

With an alarming spike in case count over the past few days, hospitalizations are also increasing in comparison to the past month. Currently there are 198 Covid-19 patients hospitalized for treatment.

Maldives active Covid-19 tally is currently at 7,109 with over 32,000 infections having been confirmed nationwide since the pandemic surfaced in the island nation during March 2020. Authorities have imposed strict measures in the capital region as well as in outlying atolls in light of the spiking cases. Starting Thursday there will be a seven-hour curfew from 9pm to 4am.