The Edition
facebook icon twitter icon instagram icon linkedin icon

Latest

COVID-19: HPA confirms an additional 146 cases

Shahudha Mohamed
19 August 2020, MVT 22:28
A frontline worker collecting random samples on a street in Malé City. The number of daily COVID-19 cases in Maldives continue to be recorded in the hundreds. PHOTO: MIHAARU
Shahudha Mohamed
19 August 2020, MVT 22:28

The Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Wednesday, confirmed 146 more cases of COVID-19 in Maldives, bringing the total to 6,225.

According to the agency, the new cases include 117 Maldivians, 21 Bangladeshi nationals, five Sri Lankans, two Indians and one Filipino citizen.

HPA also reported that an additional 140 individuals had recovered from the virus on Wednesday.

HPA stated that 144 of the newly identified cases were reported in the Greater Male' region while two was confirmed outside of the capital area. These two cases were identified in Thinadhoo, Vaavu Atoll, marking the first ever virus cases on the island.

With these developments, the island nation now records total 6,225 confirmed and 2,413 active COVID-19 cases, along with 3,788 recoveries and 24 deaths.

In addition to the Greater Male' region, active virus cases are present in 20 inhabited islands throughout 13 atolls in the archipelago.

Furthermore, HPA noted that active cases are present in 12 resorts across the archipelago, including seven tourists and 13 staff members with confirmed infections.

After recording significantly low numbers in the months of May and June, the island nation recorded a significant rise in the number of COVID-19 cases per capita, indicating an alarming community spread in the country.

However, the number of recoveries have increased in the past few days, after the recent spike reduced the total amount of recovered patients from the peak 86 to the lowest 53 percent. This value currently stands at 60 percent.

The number of COVID-19 cases skyrocketed after the state initiated efforts to steer the country towards a 'new normal' with the phased easing of lockdown restrictions across the Greater Male' Region. As one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Maldives' capital Malé continues to record a significant number of COVID-19 cases, similar to the first weeks following the first confirmed local transmission on April 15.

Noting the economic repercussions of implementing lockdown measures again, authorities have continually requested the public to adhere to HPA's safety guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus as life continues in the 'new normal'.

On March 12, WHO classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. To date, the new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 22.3 million people and claimed over 786,000 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 15.1 million people have recovered.

Share this story

Discuss

MORE ON NEWS