COVID-19: 116 new infections, 31 new recoveries

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Monday, announced 116 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 5,157.

According to HPA, the 116 new cases are 77 Maldivians, 27 Bangladeshis, six Sri Lankans, five Indians, and one Nepali.

111 of the cases were identified from the greater Male’ region, while five were identified from the atolls.

Meanwhile, 31 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24-hours, increasing total recoveries to 2,835.

The new developments mean Maldives now has 2,303 active cases.

There are 1,452 patients in isolation facilities and 145 in hospitals.

89,555 samples, including repeated samples, have been taken by health authorities to conduct coronavirus tests.

With the 116 new infections this Monday, 864 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

August 10: 116 cases

August 9: 143 cases

August 8: 129 cases

August 7: 89 cases

August 6: 86 cases

August 5: 148 cases

August 4: 153 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.

2,803 people – making for 54 percent of the 5,157 coronavirus cases in the country, are Maldivians, while the remaining 46 percent are foreign nationals. And 1,857 people – making for 36 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 347 Indians, 53 Nepalese, and 50 Sri Lankans, 11 Italians, eight Indonesians and six Filipinos.

19 coronavirus patients have died from complications.

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.

Following the surge, authorities have now declared masks mandatory in the greater Male’ region as well as all other residential islands with confirmed coronavirus cases. Authorities have announced a 10:00 pm to 05:00 am curfew in the capital, and a ban on all non-essential travel of persons from the capital to other residential islands.

Authorities have also urged that people in all residential islands, even those with no confirmed cases, wear masks when in public.