COVID-19: 131 new infections; 5,875 vaccinations

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Sunday, announced 131 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 20,794.

According to HPA, the 131 new cases include; 92 cases from the greater Male’ region, 10 cases from residential islands outside Male’, and 29 cases from operational resorts.

Meanwhile, 145 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24 hours, increasing total recoveries to 18,124.

With the new developments, Maldives now has 2,599 active cases.

There are 166 patients in hospitals.

3,691 samples (including repeated samples) have been tested for the new coronavirus over the last 24-hours.

With the 131 new infections this Sunday, 1,001 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

March 7: 131 cases

March 6: 98 cases

March 5: 118 cases

March 4: 167 cases

March 3: 136 cases

March 2: 165 cases

March 1: 186 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 the majority of total cases.

64 coronavirus patients have died from complications.

VACCINE DRIVE

Maldives began mass vaccinations against the new coronavirus on February 1.  HPA states 5,875 people were vaccinated on Sunday. Of the 5,875 people, 2,048 were from the greater Male’ region, and 3,827 were from the atolls.

Total 151,643 people have now been inoculated under program; 89,093 from the greater Male’ region, and 62,550 from the atolls.

Maldives has received 200,000 doses of the Covishield developed AstraZeneca and Oxford from India and additional 12,000 doses through COVAX. The country has also ordered 700,000 more doses of the same vaccine – which they expect to receive in March. Maldives has also received 5,000 doses of Sinopharm as a donation, and China has pledged a donation of 200,000 more doses of the same vaccine.