COVID-19: 178 new infections, 122 recoveries

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, announced 178 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 7,225.

According to HPA, the 178 new cases are 141 Maldivians, 25 Bangladeshis, 10 Indians, and two Spaniards.

176 of the cases were identified from the greater Male’ region, while the remaining two were identified from the atolls.

Meanwhile, 122 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24-hours, increasing total recoveries to 4,561

The new developments mean Maldives now has 2,636 active cases.

There are 1,458 patients in isolation facilities and 162 in hospitals.

106,909 samples, including repeated samples, have been taken by health authorities to conduct coronavirus tests.

With the 178 new infections this Wednesday, 1,000 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

August 26: 178 cases

August 25: 135 cases

August 24: 133 cases

August 23: 119 cases

August 22: 96 cases

August 21: 194 cases

August 20: 145 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.

4,383 people – making for 60 percent of the 7,225 coronavirus cases in the country, are Maldivians, while the remaining 40 percent are foreign nationals. And 2,201 people – making for 30 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 426 Indians, 77 Sri Lankans, 67 Nepalese, 12 Italians, 11 Filipinos and eight Indonesians.

28 coronavirus patients have died from complications.

There are 33 residential islands with active coronavirus cases outside of the greater Male’ region. There are also active cases in 15 resorts, including 11 tourists and 15 staff.