7 more test positive, increasing COVID-19 cases in Male’ to 47

National Emergency Operations Center, on Monday, announced seven more have tested positive for COVID-19 in Male’, increasing total cases in the capital to 47, and cases nationwide to 67.

The seven new cases were announced by spokesperson Mabrouq Azeez at the NEOC press briefing this afternoon.

The new patients are three Maldivian nationals and four foreign nationals, he said.

It increased the total new cases reported from Male’ this Monday to 15.

The announcement came after Health Protection Agency (HPA) had confirmed eight new cases in the capital shortly ahead of the press conference; six Maldivian nationals and two Bangladeshi nationals.

At the press briefing, HPA epidemiologist Dr. Nazla Rafeeq, said the eight new patients previously announced by the agency included a person above the age of 60 years and a person employed by BHM Traders to make deliveries. Meanwhile, the two Bangladeshi patients are both delivery workers for the grocery chain Ihsaan Fihaara.

While virus cases in Maldives had previously been isolated to resorts islands and safaris, virus cases emerged in the populous capital on April 15, resulting in a lockdown on Male’ and suburban Hulhumale’ and Vilimale’.

H. A. Uligan, an island located in northern Maldives, has also confirmed one case, a resident who recently travelled back to the island following a trip to the capital. It marks the first virus case to be reported in a residential island outside of the capital.

Of the 67 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives, 16 have recovered, and two are outside the country.