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COVID-19 facilities open in Gan, Villingili

Ahmed Aiham
22 July 2020, MVT 09:36
A picture of the COVID-19 Management Facility in Gan, Laamu Atoll. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Ahmed Aiham
22 July 2020, MVT 09:36

Two health facilities established to provide healthcare for COVID-19 patients in Gan, Laamu Atoll and Villingili, Gaafu Alif Atoll, were inaugurated Tuesday night.

Speaking in a virtual ceremony held for the inauguration, Gan Regional Hospital's Manager Ali Nasheed revealed that the facility of 47 inpatient beds, include 20 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 15 in isolation, and 12 for quarantine purposes.

Further, the Villingili facility was noted as having a capacity of 23 ICU beds with established ventilator services.

Both facilities can test for the virus.

During the ceremony, Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen, stated that, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, Maldives will become one of the initial countries to receive a shipment of the vaccine developed for the novel coronavirus.

The first facility established for COVID-19 treatment in Maldives' began operations in Hulhumale' on June 7. According to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), tasked with running the facility, only a few vacant beds remain in the Hulhuamale' Medical Facility with a capacity of treating 300 patients.

Recently, the first atoll-based facilities were established in Funadhoo, Shaviyani Atoll and Eydhafushi, Baa Atoll, and began operations on July 16.

The need for medical facilities is increasing with the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Maldives. After recording low numbers for several weeks, the recent spike of virus cases has reduced the total amount of recovered patients from 86 to 78 percent.

The number of COVID-19 cases increased 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. Government offices and businesses including shops, cafe's and restaurants restarted services on July 1 while authorities reopened Maldives' borders for tourism on July 15.

Maldives presently records a total number of positive cases at 3,044 with 617 active cases. Till date, the country recorded 2,397 recoveries and 15 fatalities.

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 15 million people and claimed over 619,520 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 9.1 million people have recovered.

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