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Covid-19 situation worsens in Maldives

Lamya Abdulla
18 January 2022, MVT 10:51
(FILE) People waiting in queues to do the PCR test on January 10, 2022: Maldives recorded 1,420 Covid positive cases on Monday -- Photo: Fayaz Moosa / Mihaaru
Lamya Abdulla
18 January 2022, MVT 10:51

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced that Maldives' Covid-19 situation is back at Red Alert status as the number of Covid cases increase.

Maldives uses four colours to indicate the seriousness of the Covid cases in the country at any given point; white, yellow, orange, and red. As over 1,400 positive cases were recorded on Monday evening, HPA has started to use red colour to indicate seriousness.

The agency announces the Covid statistics recorded within the past 24 hour period every evening at 6 pm.

HPA announced Covid statistics for the past 24 hours on Monday evening

Red colour was last used in Maldives in July 2021, prior to when a lockdown was announced to control the spread of Covid. Even after the lockdown was lifted, Maldives had been consistently using Orange Alert to indicate the controlled nature of the Covid cases.

However, the number of Covid cases have increased every day over the past week. On Monday, a total of 826 cases have been confirmed from the Greater Male' Region alone. According to HPA, the positivity rate is 24 percent in Male' and 20 percent in the islands.

A Yellow Alert is announced once a Covid-19 case is identified. The White Alert is used when there may be suspected Covid cases, and preparations are being done to control the spread of the virus.

Previously, when a Red Alert was announced, the government had locked down the area in order to stop the spread. The current policy is to avoid disrupting daily life and the economy, and as such, the only measures taken are to mandate PCR negative tests prior to leaving Male' to the islands, in addition to practice social distancing and wearing masks. School timings in the Greater Male' Area has been shortened as well.

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