COVID-19: 78 positive cases, total recoveries pass 3,000

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Thursday, announced 78 additional cases of COVID-19, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in the Maldives to 5,572.

According to HPA, the new cases are 46 Maldivians, 25 Bangladeshis, four Indians, two Sri Lankans, and one Nepalese.

74 cases were identified from the greater Male’ region, and four were identified from the atolls

Meanwhile, 90 additional COVID-19 patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24-hours, increasing total recoveries to 3,010.

The new developments mean the Maldives now has 2,540 active cases.

There are 1,508 patients in isolation facilities and 150 in hospitals.

94,047 samples, including repeated samples, have been taken by health authorities to conduct COVID-19 tests.

Caseload over the week:

• August 14: 78 cases
• August 13: 128 cases
• August 12: 143 cases
• August 11: 66 cases
• August 10: 116 cases
• August 9: 143 cases
• August 8: 129 cases

The Maldives identified its first COVID-19 case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic less than a week later on March 12.

While COVID-19 cases had initially been restricted to resorts and safaris, and later quarantine facilities holding inbound travelers, Male’ City identified its first COVID-19 case on April 15, prompting a city-wide lockdown and a nationwide ban on nonessential travel.

22 COVID-19 patients have died from complications.

Greater public movement following the relaxation of many of the COVID-19 restrictions in July has led to a surge in COVID-19 cases. An increasing number of COVID-19 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 COVID-19 cases. Authorities have announced a 22:00 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.