COVID-19: Positivity rate drops despite abolishment of mask mandate

Statistics publicized by Health Protection Agency (HPA) show that COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped last week, compared to the week before.

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

In light of these decisions HPA stopped publicizing daily updates on the COVID-19 situation.

On Monday afternoon, the agency released developments over the past one-week period from March 27 to April 2.

As per the statistics publicized, only 665 new cases were recorded during this period. The number of new cases during the two-week period prior to that stood at 2,342.

According to HPA, the 665 new cases recorded over the past week include; 72 cases from the greater Male’ region and 481 cases from residential islands outside of Male’ region.

No COVID-19 death was recorded during the period. Therefore, the death toll remained the same as previous week; 298.

The highest number of daily new cases was recorded last week on March 29, with 114 new cases. During last week, the highest number of daily cases recorded was 215 cases.

The sample positivity rate in greater Male’ area is at 4 percent – whilst the sample positivity rate at inhabited islands is at 18 percent.