Health Protection Agency has reported an additional 142 new cases of COVID-18 in the Maldives despite the restrictive measures taken to curb the spread of the infection.
HPA said in a tweet that out of the 142 new cases, 129 cases were confirmed from the Greater Male' Area where authorities have imposed both a vehicular ban and a curfew in an attempt to deter the rampant infection.
But the number of COVID-19 cases being reported from the capital city continues to rise with 796 individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in the past 7 days within the Greater Male' Area alone.
HPA had said that 6 new cases were reported from the inhabited islands while 5 cases were confirmed from operational resorts. HPA added that 2 cases were reported from safaris operating in the country.
The total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the country has now hit 18,224 with 2,391 active cases currently in the Maldives. HPA noted that 171 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized for further treatment as authorities have repeatedly warned that the high number of hospitalized COVID patients would overwhelm the country's healthcare system.
The Maldives has recorded 58 COVID-19 deaths since April of last year and HPA had said earlier that more COVID-19 patients have succumbed to the illness in the first two weeks of February than the last two months combined.
