Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed, on Sunday, that six additional individuals from five different islands, outside the Greater Male’ region, tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the agency, new positive cases include a woman aged 22 from Milandhoo in Noonu Atoll, a child aged six from Maamigili in Alif Dhaalu Atoll, a managed 29 from Himmafushi in Kaafu Atoll, a child aged four from Nilandhoo in Faafu Atoll in addition to a male aged 40 and woman aged 44 from Hulhudhuffaaru in Raa Atoll.
HPA stated that all of the aforementioned individuals were identified positive when they were tested prior to their release from home quarantine, after the standard 14-day period.
Prior to the update, only three individuals under home quarantine in Hulhudhuffaaru had tested positive for the virus, of which thus far one is reported to have recovered.
As per local media Mihaaru’s reports, the island council confirmed that while the remaining two cases are still under home quarantine, neither patient is exhibiting COVID-19-like symptoms.
In addition to these islands, active virus cases are also present in Ihavandhoo and Filladhoo in Haa Alif Atoll, Naivaadhoo and Kurinbi in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Kudarikilu and Kamadhoo in Baa Atoll, Hinnavaru and Naifaru in Lhaviyani Atoll, Thulusdhoo in Kaafu Atoll, Fuvahmulah City, and Hithadhoo and Feydhoo in Addu City.
Furthermore, HPA noted that active cases are present in nine resorts across the archipelago, including five tourists and 13 staff members with confirmed infections.
However, a significant majority of virus cases were identified in the Greater Male’ region where the community spread is most prevalent.
On August 6, Maldives recorded the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per capita in the world.
The number of COVID-19 cases skyrocketed 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. As one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Maldives’ capital Malé continues to record a significant number of COVID-19 cases, similar to the first weeks following the first confirmed local transmission on April 15.
The rise in the number of COVID-19 cases per capita, after recording significantly low numbers in the months of May and June, indicates an alarming community spread in the country, with recovery numbers slipping in stark contrast to newly identified cases.
The recent spike reduced the total amount of recovered patients from the peak 86 to 56.4 per cent.
Noting the economic repercussions of implementing lockdown measures again, authorities have continually requested the public to adhere to HPA’s safety guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus as life continues in the ‘new normal’.
The state has also announced a curfew from 2200hrs to 0500hrs in the Greater Male’ region, where the spread is centred, as a precautionary measure to curb the virus spread.
The Maldives now records total 5,679 confirmed and 2,449 active COVID-19 cases, along with 3,208 recoveries and 22 deaths.
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 21.6 million people and claimed over 769,000 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 14.3 million people have recovered.
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Source URL: Google News
