Health Protection Agency (HPA) has confirmed that over 7,000 Norovirus cases were reported across hospitals in the Malé region during the month of July.
According to statistics from HPA, there were a total of 3,328 cases of diarrhea and nausea reported in June, and this figure doubled to 7,384 cases in July.
After thousands had gathered to watch the Maldives' Independence Day parade and festivities, many individuals either consulted or were admitted to hospitals in the Malé region with symptoms of diarrhea and nausea. Most of the hospitals reported that their emergency rooms operated at full capacity due to the surge in cases.
HPA has confirmed that the flu is a strain of the Norovirus, which causes symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and fever.
While cases spiked in the Greater Malé region, reports of the flu have been surging across the atolls as well.
Symptoms of the flu, besides diarrhea and nausea, include fever, stomach pain, and fatigue. The virus is also commonly referred to as 'stomach flu.'