COVID-19: 137 new infections, active cases rise above 2,000

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced 137 new cases of COVID-19, increasing confirmed cases in the Maldives to 16,547.

The Maldives now has 2,014 active cases. There are 193 patients in hospitals.

According to HPA, the new cases are:

• 110 cases from Greater Male’ region.
• 20 cases from residential islands apart from Male’
• Seven cases from operational resorts 

Meanwhile, 53 COVID-19 patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24 hours, increasing total recoveries to 14,472.

The positive cases today were detected from 2,982 samples. 427,278 samples (including repeated samples) have been tested for the COVID-19 to date.

Caseload over the week

• February 5: 137 cases
• February 4: 134 cases
• February 3: 121 cases
• February 2: 99 cases
• February 1: 215 cases
• January 31: 105 cases
• January 30: 122 cases

54 patients have died from complications.

Vaccine update:

HPA stated today that 1,003 individuals were vaccinated today with the majority, 787 vaccinated from the Greater Male' Area. A total of 216 individuals were vaccinated in atolls apart from the Greater Male' Area today.

The total number of vaccinations is now calculated at 4,269. The total number of people vaccinated in the Greater Male' Area is 3,573. The total number of vaccinations from other atolls is 696. 

The Maldives commenced its vaccine drive on February 1. The vaccine developed by Astrazeneca and Oxford University is administered in the Maldives. The government is also working to procure more vaccines and has pledged to inoculate the entire eligible population within six months.

The increase in cases currently being observed in the capital recently has led to authorities clamping down on lockdown easements. The capital is under curfew from 23:00 to 4:30, and motor vehicles are also banned from 20:30 to 4:30. Parks and public spaces are closed for the time being while colleges and universities are once again conducting classes online.