Authorities on Wednesday evening confirmed a suspected COVID-19 case have passed away.
The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) spokesperson Mohamed Mabrook Azeez confirmed an individual whose sample had been collected by authorities to assess presence of the virus, has indeed died.
Mabrook further notified the demised individual was an elderly citizen.
The island nation currently has an infected toll at 269 with 252 active cases with 17 recoveries.
On 15 April, the first positive case of the virus was discovered from Male' City pushing the government to impose a lockdown. Though it was announced for a 24-hour period, the lockdown was extended by another 24-hours.
Within the first 48 hours, multiple positive cases and discovery of a large cluster of close contacts with the infected persons pushed state to extend the lockdown by 14 days.
Earlier on Wednesday, 29 April, Health Protection Agency (HPA) announced the lockdown duration will be stretched to another 14 days effective from 30 April until 14 May.
