Over 1,000 new infections detected as Male' City Covid-19 crisis worsens
300 infections correspond to backlog tests from more than two days prior
There has been increased police and military presence in the Maldives' capital, following a shocking assassination attempt against former president Mohamed Nasheed on Thursday night
Maldives reported over 1,000 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, with an overwhelming number of cases detected from the nation's congested capital, Male' City.
Latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reveal that a total of 1,091 new Covid-19 infections were detected nationwide between 6pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday.
933 of the 147 new cases reported Sunday were from the Male' area, with 147 new cases reported from inhabited islands, and six cases from operational resorts. Three additional cases were detected from liveaboard vessels, and two more cases were reported in islands reserved for industrial use.
Health authorities tested a total of 4,507 samples for the infection between Saturday and Sunday.
The past week had been the worst week for Covid-19 infections since the pandemic first reached the country in March 2020. The Maldives' total Covid-19 case tall is now 35,815.
With Sunday's 1,091 new infections, the number of active cases of Covid-19 across the country have crossed the 9,000 case-mark to 9,423.
By the end of Sunday, there were 250 people receiving in-hospital care for Covid-19 across the country, which is 20 more than the previous day.
A further 1,007 recoveries from the infection were reported on Sunday, bringing the total number of recoveries observed for the infection in Maldives up to 26,299. 32 islands across the Maldives have been placed under monitoring due to Covid-19.
Covid-19 health and safety restrictions were eased across the densely-populated capital ahead of Ramazan and the Local Council and Women's Development Committee Elections, following which there has been a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases being reported in the city. Male' City was rocked by an explosion in an assassination attempt against former president Mohamed Nasheed on Thursday, following which there has been increased police and military presence across the city.
According to the latest statistics by HPA, three in every five samples tested in the Male' area were returning positive for Covid-19. The HEOC have revealed that the bed capacity of Male' City hospitals is 293 beds, of which 80 percent are presently occupied by patients being treated for Covid-19. Authorities have revealed that the Hulhumale' Hospital will be partially downgraded into a Covid management facility with a bed capacity of 120, as part of a number of measures being taken to tackle the capital's growing caseload. Long-term Covid-19 management facilities are also being developed by the HEOC in association with authorities.
Spokesperson Mabrook stated that 55 percent of all doctors and nurses in the Maldives are working as part of the country's Covid-19 response plan, and the HEOC confirmed that they are working to increase their human resource capacity. Health authorities have stressed that they are working above capacity to cater to Covid-19 patients, and continue to stress the importance of following Covid-19 health and safety measures set to control transmission of the virus.
