Maldives records 9th COVID-19 death: a 43-year-old Filipino man

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Tuesday, announced a coronavirus patient hospitalized in the Dharumavantha Hospital has passed away, marking the country’s ninth coronavirus-related death.

The patient was identified by HPA as a 43-year-old Filipino male. He was hospitalized in DH11, and passed away at 01:50 pm.

Today at 01:50 pm, a 43-year-old Filipino male admitted at DH11 has passed away.

This is the 9th COVID-19 death in the Maldives.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family.

— Health Protection Agency (@HPA_MV) June 30, 2020

According to information published by HPA on its coronavirus database, the deceased was the only person of Philippines nationality to have been confirmed to have contracted the disease in Maldives.

It marks the first coronavirus-related in the country in three weeks. The previous deaths were four Maldivians and four Bangladeshis.

11 coronavirus patients are currently hospitalized in the country, including three patients in critical condition who were moved from Tree Top Hospital to Dharumavantha Hospital on Monday. Two of the patients are breathing with the assistance of ventilators.

Maldives identified its first coronavirus case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic four days later on March 11.

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 and a nationwide ban on nonessential travel.

The populous capital quickly emerged as the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Maldives, contributing to over 90 percent of total cases.

Maldives has confirmed 2,336 coronavirus cases, out of whom 1,927 have recovered and eight have died from complications.

35 percent of the 2,336 coronavirus cases in the country are Maldivians, while the remaining 65 percent are foreign nationals. 1,219 people – making for 52 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 820 Maldivians, 214 Indians, 43 Nepalese, and 17 Sri Lankans and 11 Italians.