ZCZC
BFF-19
MALDIVES-COVID-19
Maldives reports 2 new COVID-19 deaths in a single day
MALE, Aug. 22, 2020 (BSS/Xinhua) – Two more patients infected with COVID-19 have died in the Maldives as the country’s case count continues to rise, local media citing the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reported here Saturday.
An 82-year-old Maldivian man and a 62-year-old Bangladeshi man died in the morning and evening respectively on Friday while receiving treatment for COVID-19.
The total COVID-19 death toll in the country currently stands at 26, with a spike in deaths seen over the last few weeks as a second wave of infections has matured.
Meanwhile, the country recorded 194 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, including 167 Maldivian citizens and 27 foreign nationals, pushing the total case count up to 6,564.
The country has surpassed projections made last month by Public Health Expert Dr. Sheens Moosa, which predicted that 2,373 new cases would be confirmed in August, state media reported.
However, 2577 new cases have been confirmed in August, at a rate of over a hundred new cases per day. Infections have now been spreading at a faster rate among local citizens than foreign nationals, reversing earlier trends.
According to the HPA, Maldives has 2,527 active cases of COVID-19 spread across 21 islands and 10 resorts. Active cases include four tourists and 13 resort staff.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1158 hrs