COVID-19: 60% of hospital beds in greater Male’ full

Over 60 percent of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the greater Male’ region have filled up, as Maldives experiences a record surge in daily infection rates.

Maldives has 435 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. 267of the beds are in the greater Male’ region. The COVID-19 medical facility in suburban Hulhumale’ has 248 beds. 217 beds in the wards, 18 beds in the High Dependency Unit, two beds for dialysis patients, and 11 additional isolation beds.

Statistics released by Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) show Maldives has 5,594 active cases. 172 of the patients are hospitalized.

Eight of the hospitalized patients are in the atolls; three patients are being treated at the medical facility in B. Eydhafushi and five patients are being treated at the medical facility in L. Gan.

The remaining 164 patients are in the greater Male’ region. Therefore, 61 percent of the 267 beds in the region are currently full.

HEOC said in a press conference last week that though Maldives is experiencing a surge in infections, the number of people developing serious illness from COVID-19 is low as many have now been vaccinated.

However, as the infection rate increases, so will the hospitalization rate, warned HEOC.

Total 186 beds have been established in the atolls for COVID-19 patients. 178 of the beds are unoccupied at present.

BED CAPACITY IN COVID FACILITIES IN ATOLLS:

Sh. Funadhoo: 20 beds

B. Eydhafushi: 45 beds

L. Gan: 41 beds

GA. Vilingili: 43 beds

Fuvahmulah City: 3 beds

Addu City: 34 beds

Maldives has been experiencing a surge in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks – both in the capital and in residential islands outside the capital. 508 new cases were recorded last Sunday – the highest single-day spike the country has recorded to date.

Over 20 residential islands outside of the greater Male' region have confirmed COVID-19 cases and are under monitoring, including the populous Addu City and Kulhudhuffushi City.

A ban on non-essential domestic travel has been imposed in an attempt to curb the surge.