COVID-19: 133 new infections, 75 recoveries

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Monday, announced 133 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 6,912.

According to HPA, the 133 new cases include 103 Maldivians, 15 Bangladeshis, eight Indians, two Sri Lankans, two Emiratis, two Britons, and one Nepali.

121 of the cases were identified from the greater Male’ region, while the remaining 12 were identified from the atolls.

Meanwhile, 75 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24-hours, increasing total recoveries to 4,297.

The new developments mean Maldives now has 2,588 active cases.

There are 1,458 patients in isolation facilities and 171 in hospitals.

104,631 samples, including repeated samples, have been taken by health authorities to conduct coronavirus tests.

With the 133 new infections this Monday, 1,003 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

August 24: 133 cases

August 23: 119 cases

August 22: 96 cases

August 21: 194 cases

August 20: 145 cases

August 19: 146 cases

August 18: 170 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.

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

4,132 people – making for 59 percent of the 6,912 coronavirus cases in the country, are Maldivians, while the remaining 41 percent are foreign nationals. And 2,161 people – making for 31 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 408 Indians, 77 Sri Lankans, 66 Nepalese, 12 Italians, 11 Filipinos and eight Indonesians.

27 coronavirus patients have died from complications. The latest fatality was recorded earlier this Monday.