COVID-19: 215 new infections, 30 recoveries

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Sunday, announced 215 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 4,164.

According to HPA, the 215 new cases are 149 Maldivians, 54 Bangladeshis, seven Indians, two Sri Lankans, two Nepalese and one Indonesian.

214 of the cases were identified from the greater Male’ region and one was identified from the atolls.

It marks the biggest single-day spike of coronavirus cases to be recorded in Maldives.

Meanwhile, 30 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24-hours, increasing total recoveries to 2,643.

The new developments mean Maldives now has 1,489 active cases.

There are 921 patients in isolation facilities and 84 in hospitals.

80,999 samples, including repeated samples, have been taken by health authorities to conduct coronavirus tests.

With the 215 new infections this Sunday, 862 people have tested positive over the past one-week period.

August 2: 215 cases

August 1: 156 cases

July 31: 74 cases

July 30: 152 cases

July 29: 61 cases

July 28: 137 cases

July 27: 67 cases

Maldives identified its first coronavirus case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic less than a week later on March 12.

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 capital quickly emerged as the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Maldives, contributing to over 90 percent of total cases.

2,085 people – making for 50 percent of the 4,164 coronavirus cases in the country, are Maldivians, while the remaining 51 percent are foreign nationals. And 1,665 people – making for 39 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 294 Indians, 48 Nepalese, and 37 Sri Lankans, 11 Italians, six Indonesians and five Filipinos.

18 coronavirus patients have died from complications. The latest fatality was recorded this Sunday.

Greater public movement following the relaxation of many of the coronavirus restriction in July has led to a surge in coronavirus cases. An increasing number of new coronavirus cases are unlinked to existing clusters, which health authorities warn indicates a wide community spread.

Wearing masks in public, which had previously been a recommendation, has now been declared mandatory for the greater Male' region.