The Maldives is currently battling a fourth wave of the COVID-19 infections, the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) has said.
The COVID-19 situation in the Maldives has deteriorated dramatically over the past week. The archipelago reported its highest single-day rise in daily infections on Tuesday, with 601 cases identified across the country. Out of these, 440 cases were recorded in capital Male'.
Speaking at a press conference held by HOC on Tuesday night, Dr. Mohamed Ali from HEOC said while the Maldives is battling a fourth wave of infections, the number of people whose condition is severe is increasing. Noting that the ICU capacity at main government hospital Dharumavantha Hospital has reached its maximum, six patients are on ventilator support, said the doctor. A pregnancy lady who tested positive for the virus is also in serious condition and is admitted in the ICU, he added. This is the first time the condition of a pregnant woman has become severe due to COVID-19 in the Maldives. While pregnant women were not considered as high risk in the past, the new case has changed the stance, he added.
Most patients on ventilator support usually need to be kept on the ventilator for over two weeks. If the number of people requiring ventilator support increase, the Maldives does not have the capacity to provide the required treatment, said Dr. Mohamed Ali. 181 COVID-19 patients are currently admitted at the Hulhumale' Medical Facility, and the capacity at HMF is nearly full, said Dr. Mohamed Ali.
The Maldives' tally is currently at 31,931. While 6,508 cases are active, 74 deaths have been recorded to date.
