COVID-19: 139 new infections; 2,009 vaccinations

Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, announced 139 additional cases of the new coronavirus, increasing confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldives to 22,929.

According to HPA, the 139 new cases include; 89 cases from the greater Male’ region, 31 cases from residential islands outside Male’, and 19 cases from operational resorts.

Meanwhile, 133 additional coronavirus patients were confirmed to have made full recoveries over the last 24 hours, increasing total recoveries to 20,359.

With the new developments, Maldives now has 2,497 active cases.

There are 103 patients in hospitals.

6,659 samples (including repeated samples) have been tested for the new coronavirus over the last 24-hours.

With the 139 new infections this Wednesday, 968 people have tested positive over the last one-week period.

March 24: 139 cases

March 23: 128 cases

March 22: 149 cases

March 21: 140 cases

March 20: 81 cases

March 19: 145 cases

March 18: 186 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 the majority of total cases.

66 coronavirus patients have died from complications.

VACCINE DRIVE

Maldives began mass vaccinations against the new coronavirus on February 1.  HPA states 2,009 people were vaccinated on Wednesday. Of the 2,009 people, 1,207 were from the greater Male’ region, and 802 were from the atolls.

Total 224,979 people have now been inoculated under program; 125,885 from the greater Male’ region, and 99,094 from the atolls.

Maldives has received 200,000 doses of the Covishield developed AstraZeneca and Oxford from India and additional 12,000 doses through COVAX. The country has also ordered 1 million more doses of the same vaccine – 700,000 doses through an agreement with AstraZeneca and 300,000 doses through an agreement with Serum Institute of India. Maldives has also received 5,000 doses of Sinopharm as a donation, and China has pledged a donation of 200,000 more doses of the same vaccine.