COVID-19: Maldives records 229 recoveries, 30 new cases

Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that a total of 229 COVID-19 patients made a full recovery in the 24hrs prior to 1800hrs on Monday, while only 30 new cases were identified within the same duration.

Authorities noted that the 30 cases consisted of 16 locals and 14 foreigners, including 13 Bangladeshis and one Nepalese citizen.

With these new developments, Maldives presently records a total of 2,065 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which 515 are active cases. The country records 1,540 recoveries and eight deaths.

The government on Monday lifted nationwide restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus, under the State of Public Health Emergency declared on March 12, except in the capital city Male'.

Thus from Monday onwards, inter-island travel may resume within the atolls, nearly two months after the nationwide travel ban announced on April 16. The bans on public gatherings and prayer congregations are also lifted from all islands outside of the capital.

The Greater Male' Region, which has been on lockdown since April 15 following the first detected local transmission of COVID-19, also commenced the second phase of easing lockdown measures on Monday, and allows movement without a permit for essential needs, business purposes and delivery services, as well as other necessities within limitations as stated by the HPA.

As one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Malé recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in the first weeks following the first confirmed local transmission on April 15. However, the number of recoveries recorded daily are now consistently higher than newly confirmed cases.

WHO has classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 8 million people and claimed over 436,996 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, 4.1 million people have recovered.