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COVID-19: Maldives records 16 new cases, 35 recoveries

Mariyam Malsa
31 October 2020, MVT 22:24
Health workers operating in the Hulhumale'. COVID-19 facility. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/ MIHAARU
Mariyam Malsa
31 October 2020, MVT 22:24

The Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Thursday, announced that 16 additional individuals tested positive for COVID-19 while 35 more have recovered.

According to the agency, the new cases consist of 13 locals and three foreigners.

HPA revealed that 13 of the new infections were reported in the Greater Male' Region while the remaining three cases were identified outside the capital area.

In addition to the Greater Male' Region, active virus cases are currently present in 18 inhabited islands as well as 27 resorts across the archipelago.

Maldives currently records a total of 11,659 virus cases of which 800 are active cases, in addition to 10,814 recoveries and 38 deaths.

During August, authorities tightened the safety measures implemented in the Greater Male' region, following an alarming upsurge of COVID-19 cases after the state initiated efforts to steer the country towards a 'new normal' with the phased easing of lockdown restrictions.

After a long period of recording over 100 daily cases, the numbers fell to two-digits during the most part of September. Throughout October the numbers had slipped further down below 50, with a few spikes on rare occasions.

Within this same period, the number of recoveries saw a significant increase, bringing the number of recovered cases to over 92 percent.

Despite the sustained decrease in virus cases, HPA has renewed calls for citizens to adhere to protective measures to contain the spread of the virus, cautioning against a public sentiment that the outbreak has been “controlled”.

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 46.1 million people and claimed over 1.1 million lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 33.3 million people have recovered.

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