Maldives’ COVID-19 death toll rises to 58

Health Protection Agency (HPA) announced on Saturday that a patient who was declared dead shortly after she was taken to the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room in an unresponsive state has tested positive for COVID-19.

HPA identified the deceased as a 59-year-old Maldivian female.

According to HPA, the patient was taken to the IGMH ER in an unresponsive state at 03:17 am this Saturday.

She was declared dead at 03:46 am.

“This is the 58th COVID-19 death in the Maldives,” announced HPA.

The fatality comes less than 24 hours after another patient - who was declared dead upon arrival to IGMH ER - tested positive for COVID-19.

It also comes as health authorities voice concern over an increasing number of emergency patients showing up in hospitals in the greater Male’ region testing positive for the disease.

Maldives has 17,507 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 120 new cases recorded on Friday. 15,142 patients have since recovered, and the country currently has 2,302 active cases.

206 of the patients are hospitalized.