COVID-19: Maldives sees record 734 new cases

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, announced 734 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 32,665.

According to HPA, the 734 new cases include; 540 cases from the greater Male’ region, 186 cases from residential islands outside Male’, 7 cases from operational resorts, and 1 case from industrial islands.

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

Meanwhile, 133 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24 hours, increasing total recoveries to 25,473.

With the new developments, Maldives now has 7,109 active cases.

There are 198 patients in hospitals.

4,787 samples (including repeated samples) have been tested for the new coronavirus over the last 24-hours.

With the 734 new infections this Wednesday, 3,613 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

May 5: 734 cases

May 4: 601 cases

May 3: 585 cases

May 2: 508 cases

May 1: 402 cases

April 30: 465 cases

April 29: 318 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 has announced 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.