COVID-19: 2,342 new cases, one death over last two weeks

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Monday, announced 2,342 additional cases of COVID-19 over the last two weeks, increasing confirmed cases in Maldives to 176,993.

Maldives had lifted the state on national public health emergency declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 13.

Following the decision HPA stopped publicizing daily updates on the COVID-19 situation.

The agency released developments over the two-week period from March 13-26 on Monday afternoon.

According to HPA, the 2,342 new cases recorded over the last two weeks include; 184 cases from the greater Male’ region and 1,938 cases from residential islands outside Male’.

One COVID-19 death was recorded during the period, increasing the death toll to 298.

The highest number of daily new cases was recorded on March 22, with 215 new cases.

The sample positivity rate is currently at 11 percent.

Maldives began its vaccination campaign in February last year. The country expanded the campaign to begin vaccinating children between 12 years and 17 years of age six months later, in August, and began administering the booster dose the same month.

398,459 people have received their first dose and 383,601 people have been fully vaccinated, while 154, 798 have received their booster dose.

84.72 percent of the eligible population have now completed two doses of vaccine.

Following the revocation of the state of public health emergency, Maldives scrapped many of the restrictions imposed to control the pandemic, including the mask mandate and PCR testing for travelers.