COVID-19: Maldives records 104 new infections

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Thursday, announced 104 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 7,329.

According to HPA, the 104 new cases are 76 Maldivians, 22 Bangladeshis, five Indians, and one Nepali.

102 of the cases were identified from the greater Male’ region, while the remaining two were identified from the atolls.

Meanwhile, 130 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24-hours, increasing total recoveries to 4,691.

The new developments mean Maldives now has 2,610 active cases.

There are 1,434 patients in isolation facilities and 180 in hospitals.

108,099 samples, including repeated samples, have been taken by health authorities to conduct coronavirus tests.

With the 104 new infections this Thursday, 959 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

August 27: 104 cases

August 26: 178 cases

August 25: 135 cases

August 24: 133 cases

August 23: 119 cases

August 22: 96 cases

August 21: 194 cases

Maldives identified its first coronavirus case on March 7, and declared a state of public health emergency over the pandemic less than a week later on March 12.

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.

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

4,459 people – making for 60 percent of the 7,329 coronavirus cases in the country, are Maldivians, while the remaining 40 percent are foreign nationals. And 2,223 people – making for 30 percent of total coronavirus cases – are Bangladeshis. The rest of the coronavirus cases include 431 Indians, 77 Sri Lankans, 68 Nepalese, 12 Italians, 11 Filipinos and eight Indonesians.

28 coronavirus patients have died from complications.

There are 59 active cases in 32 residential islands outside of the greater Male’ region. They include 52 Maldivians and seven foreign nationals.

There are also active cases in 15 resorts, including 11 tourists and 15 staff.