COVID-19: Maldives sees record 601 new cases

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Tuesday, announced 601 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 31,931

According to HPA, the 601 new cases include; 440 cases from the greater Male’ region, 141 cases from residential islands outside Male’, 19 cases from operational resorts, and 11 cases from industrial islands.

This marks the highest single-day spike the country has recorded to date.

Meanwhile, 126 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24 hours, increasing total recoveries to 25,340.

With the new developments, Maldives now has 6,508 active cases.

There are 181 patients in hospitals.

4,552 samples (including repeated samples) have been tested for the new coronavirus over the last 24-hours.

With the 601 new infections this Tuesday, 3,343 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

May 4: 601 cases

May 3: 585 cases

May 2: 508 cases

May 1: 402 cases

April 30: 465 cases

April 29: 318 cases

April 28: 464 cases

74 coronavirus patients have died from complications.

Maldives has been experiencing a surge in coronavirus infections – both in the capital and in residential islands outside the capital, prompting HPA to impose additional restrictions in the capital, including a 00:00-04:00 ban on vehicular traffic, and suspension of face-to-face classes in schools.

Government offices have been closed, public parks and sports arenas have been closed, and the travel eases allowed for fully vaccinated individuals have been suspended.

Meanwhile, Maldives’ promising vaccination campaign has suffered a setback due to the depletion of its stock of Covishield vaccine, prompting authorities to suspend the administration of the vaccine. HPA announced this Tuesday they expect to receive a new shipment of Covishield in two weeks.

Though Maldives has suspended the administration of Covishield vaccine, it continues to administer Sinopharm vaccine and Pfizer vaccine.

According to statistics released by HPA, 297,639 people have received their first dose since the vaccination campaign was launched in February – making for 67 percent of the eligible population, and  108,494 people have received their second dose – making for 24.5 percent of the eligible population.