Maldives’ coronavirus patients include more than 100 children

Records released by Health Protection Agency (HPA) reveal that more than 100 of Maldives’ 1,841 coronavirus patients are children.

Records released by HPA on its COVID-19 dashboard show 102 children have tested positive for the new coronavirus, 55 males and 47 females.

While one of the children is a 4-year-old Sri Lankan, the rest are Maldivian.

Two of the children are under the age of one-month and two are seven months old. 50 children are between the ages of one to ten years, while the rest are 11 to 17 years.

Dr. Ahmed Faisal, a pediatrician at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), warned the number of children infected with the new coronavirus in Maldives is comparatively high.

53 CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS ARE ABOVE THE AGE OF 60

Records released by HPA on its COVID-19 dashboards also reveal that since the community spread began in Maldives in mid-April, 53 people above the age of 60 years have tested positive, 33 males and 20 females.

The 53 elderly patients include a 62-year-old Sri Lankan and a 60-year-old Bangladeshi, while the rest are Maldivians.

The oldest person to test positive for the new coronavirus is a 92-year-old Maldivian male, who tested positive of May 28.

Meanwhile, the seven coronavirus related deaths confirmed in Maldives include an 89-year-old, an 80-year-old, an 83-year-old, and an 88-year-old.

Prior to the community spread, five tourists above the age of 60 years had tested positive for the new coronavirus in Maldives, all of whom have since recovered and been discharged from medical facilities.

Maldives identified its first coronavirus case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic four days later on March 11.

While coronavirus cases had initially been restricted to resorts and safaris, and later quarantine facilities holding inbound travelers, Male’ City identified its first coronavirus case on April 15, prompting a city-wide lockdown and a nationwide ban on nonessential travel.

The populous Male’ City has since become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, contributing to over 90 percent of the total cases.

Maldives has recorded 1,841 coronavirus cases, 32 percent of whom are Maldivians, while the remaining 68 percent are foreign nationals. 1,003 people – making for 54 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 601 Maldivians, 187 Indians, 23 Nepalese, and 11 Italians.

While 1,841 people are confirmed to have contracted the new coronavirus in Maldives, this includes 608 people who have since made full recoveries. Seven have died from complications.